Federer too good for Murray again
Roger Federer lifts his 16th grand slam title at Melbourne Park
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Sunday, 31, Jan 2010 07:41
By James Christie.
Andy Murray's brave search for a first Grand Slam title will continue after he was beaten 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (13-11) by an on-form Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open.
Murray was outclassed in the first two sets and seemed to be struggling with a thigh injury in the third set. But he served for that set at 5-3 and held five set points during an epic tie-break before finally succumbing.
The match looked like it would follow the pattern of the Murray-Federer 2008 US Open Final when the Swiss easily prevailed in straight sets. But the quality of the exchanges near the end of the match suggest that the Scot has closed the gap a little - he was unlucky to run into an opponent enjoying such vintage form.
With the daylight fading, a 10mph wind blowing and the stadium roof partly open, the Swiss won the toss and eccentrically elected to defer the decision on whether to serve or not to his opponent.
Federer soon dispensed with the niceties when the knock-up ended, capitalising on a Murray double fault to break the Scot's serve at the first time of asking.
Murray instantly broke back but at 3-4 was broken again.
After 43 minutes Federer served out without fuss to take the first set 6-3 and Murray changed from a blue shirt to a Persil-white shirt, knowing that he had to produce more shots from his locker to win the match.
There was an air of despair surrounding the 22-year-old as he was broken at 1-1, misjudging a Federer forehand that looked like it would land long and getting too far behind the baseline.
The Murray shots which had clipped the lines during his victories over Nadal and Cilic were now landing in the tramlines or hitting the top of the net tape.
Federer was also taunting the world number three with his drop shot, supposedly one of the best weapons in the Murray armoury.
At 3-2 behind and Federer serving at 30-30 Murray finally looked like he was starting to boss points. But a shot which hit the net cord wrong-footed the unlucky Celt, Federer's half-hearted apology was soon followed by a full-blooded volley and the danger passed.
Under a blood red sky Murray bravely came back from 0-40 down to hold serve in the next game to take it to 3-4 but Federer was still in control, now winning rallies with single shots rather than combinations and clinching the set 6-4.
A missed chance in Federer's opening service game hurt Murray and a sore thigh also seemed to be bothering the Brit though his body language can be harder to read than a Rabbie Burns poem.
He was actually smiling during Federer's next service game as he went 30 and then 40-love up. A toe-to-toe net exchange gave him his second break of the match on his third and final break point; 4-2 Murray.
Finally, the Tartan army in the crowd had something substantial to cheer; their man was in the lead at the business end of the set for the first time in the match.
Murray served for the set at 5-3 but Federer broke back and an exhausted-looking Murray needed to produce some of his best tennis, with a little help from HawkEye to get to 6-5.
Murray started the tie-break with an ace and stretched Federer during a tense rally to race to 3-1. Some forced errors and cheap mistakes helped Federer retrieve the mini-break, a muscular Murray groundstroke, an ace and a passing shot presented Murray with a 6-4 lead and two set points.
Federer took Murray wide and out of camera-range to save one and the underdog netted with the court at his mercy on the next.
He had another at 7-6 but volleyed wide after a 23-shot exchange. An outswinging Federer ace gave the former champion championship point, one he only just missed with an inch-wide passing shot.
Murray took another turn to clinch the set at 9-8, this time lobbing long. A fantastic Federer drop shot gave him match point two but Murray made the next one to again save the day - leaving the Swiss shaking his fist with fury and Murray shaking his with delight.
Set point five was netted by Murray and Federer finally won the tiebreak 13-11, and with it the title, after a wrong-footing forehand and a netted Murray backhand.
It was Federer's 16th Grand Slam title and Murray's tears at the presentation ceremony were a reminder that he has yet to win one, despite a performance which does him enormous credit.