Andy Murray is in his second Olympic singles final. After wild fluctuations in form the previous couple of days, the 2012 champion found his most convincing and consistent tennis of this tournament when it mattered to beat Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-4 in the first semi-final on a gorgeously warm Saturday afternoon on centre court, which was perhaps two-thirds full at the end.
He will battle for gold against Juan Martín del Potro, conqueror of Novak Djokovic in the first round, who beat Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 in the second semi-final before diving into the crowd to celebrate the guarantee of a medal. “He’s the favourite for sure,” the Argentinian said of the final. “Hopefully I can run like I did today.”
Murray won 28 of the 42 points he contested in the first set, 15 of 18 on his first serve, and took his two break chances without fuss, although he looked mystified when given a time violation in the fifth game. Nishikori might as well have phoned his score in.
Thereafter, the match went along more traditional lines. Nishikori, first in the serving cycle, led until the fifth game, which he surrendered to love in a string of loose shots, the last of them a drop‑shot from the baseline that dumped into the net and the crowd picked up the simple but loud chorus of “Murray. Murray.” It was not quite a samba beat: more rat-a-tat-tat, not dissimilar to the rhythm of his uncomplicated shot-making.
This was Murray at ease with his tennis. He was not forcing the points, just insinuating himself into strong positions then methodically cutting off his opponent’s options before applying the final dagger. He was now in sight of what he wanted: a quick finish, an even quicker chat with the media, then his ice bath and rub down to prepare for Sunday’s final. What he did not want was a meltdown like those that temporarily held him up against Fognini and Johnson.
There was no wind to speak of this time, though: just a determined but bamboozled opponent. Nishikori was always dangerous, because when he hit cleanly off the ground it was with intent. He sought a quicker end to the points than Murray, which contributed to his downfall against one of the best defensive players in the modern game.
Nishikori hung on through deuce to give himself a sliver of a chance at 3-4, but he was not convincing. If he were to get back in the fight, he needed to find another gear, and it just was not clicking for him. His serve had gone to pot and there was no desperation about some of his ill-chosen shots, especially undercut chips from the baseline, with Murray lurking at the T, in case the ball managed to dribble across to his side.
Murray’s rapport with the crowd was interesting: whenever he complained to the chair umpire about movement in the stands or among the photographers, the transgressor received a proper vocal going over, with catcalls and whistles. It is an atmosphere he feeds off, lifting him from the distraction of complacency.
At 3-5 with the ball in his hand, Nishikori had to make a statement but Murray, moving well inside the court on his second serves, choked his space and pinned him deep. Still, he held.
After an hour and 12 minutes of efficient and calculated tennis, Murray served for a place in the final. Nishikori continued to go for his shots (what option did he have?) and put one memorable crosscourt forehand beyond the Scot’s reach before handing him match point with an overcooked return from behind the baseline.
The crowd, keen for their money’s worth, went wild when Nishikori fought back to deuce and even crazier when Murray won the rally of the match with a stretched backhand down the line that left Nishikori spent and stranded in mid-court. A second match point: this time, Nishikori obliged with a closing unforced error, his 23rd. Murray hit 15, alongside 15 clean winners and three aces. It was a clinical rather than spectacular win, just what he needed after the excitement of the previous two days.
