Murray’s victory means that Federer must win all his matches this week to end the year as the world No2. He’s made a very good start in London, which certainly wasn’t the case last year, when he began with a limp defeat to Kei Nishikori. Ferrer is never an easy opponent and he showed that at the start of the second set, yet Murray was the superior player overall and it always seemed likely that he would win in straight sets. Stan Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal will have to play well to beat him. Thanks for reading. Bye.
Andy Murray beats David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4!
Ferrer is serving to stay in the match. So he begins with a double-fault. He tries to challenge, but forgets he’s not got any left. Oh dear. He follows that up by wafting a backhand long for 0-30. Murray is two points from victory, although he had 0-30 in Ferrer’s previous service game and he couldn’t take advantage. Will the same happen here? Well, Murray loses the next point, but he soon has two match points when a panicky Ferrer hurries a backhand wide at the net. Murray rams a forehand down the line and Ferrer hangs the ball into the air. Murray jumps into an overhead, although he leaves just enough on it for Ferrer to have one final flail at it, but he’s only delaying the inevitable. Murray puts away the second overhead, with Ferrer stranded, and victory is his!
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Second set: Murray* 6-4, 5-4 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray holds without a fuss, to 15, and he’s a game away from victory.
Second set: Murray 6-4, 4-4 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Murray wins the first point, producing a special backhand drop shot that’s always spinning away from Ferrer. Even Ferrer can’t catch that one and there’s a sense that the balance of power is swinging in Murray’s direction, especially when Ferrer nets a backhand to make it 0-30. Yet Murray misses a forehand and Ferrer wins three straight points for a 40-30 lead, before sealing the game with a stunning forehand. Murray will be annoyed he’s not won this game.
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Second set: Murray* 6-4, 4-3 Ferrer (*denotes server): Ferrer takes advantage of an inviting Murray second serve by whooshing a forehand down the line for a 0-15 lead, yet Murray wins the next point when a fantastic volley lands on the baseline. A hopeful Ferrer uses up his last challenge of the set and Murray holds easily from there.
Second set: Murray 6-4, 3-3 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer begins the game with his seventh double fault. He bellows at himself. He does win the next point but there’s nothing he can do to repel a running Murray forehand pass that makes it 15-30, or a spinning Murray drop shot that brings up two break points. Murray is kicking himself, though, after ruining an expert point by netting a backhand volley when Ferrer was nowhere to be seen, but he gets there in the end, overpowering his opponent on the next point, winning a physical rally with a crashing forehand. Murray pumps his fist. He’s level again.
Second set: Murray* 6-4, 2-3 Ferrer (*denotes server): From 0-15 down, Murray races through three straight points for a 40-15 lead and he holds comfortably. Murray will be confident of getting back into this second set.
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Second set: Murray 6-4, 1-3 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer looks bewildered after yet another double-fault makes it 30-all, grinning and shrugging his shoulders, unable to comprehend what’s going wrong. It’s probably his toss. Yet he’s feeling better with himself after a big serve down the middle brings him the next point, a 40-30 lead, and he holds when Murray nets a backhand return.
Second set: Murray* 6-4, 1-2 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray bangs down an ace for a 15-0 lead, before sending a sweet backhand down the line for 30-0. Another ace, clocked at 128mph, makes it 40-0 and he holds to love.
Second set: Murray 6-4, 0-2 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer makes life difficult for himself by starting this game with a double fault. He doesn’t want to let go of the momentum he built up in the previous game and he steadies himself by making a fairly clumsy Murray volley and slicing it down the line. Murray challenges, but it just kissed the line. This is quite a scratchy game, though, that moment of brilliance aside, and a double-fault from Ferrer brings it to deuce. Yet Ferrer holds. He takes advantage.
Second set: Murray* 6-4, 0-1 Ferrer (*denotes server): Ferrer is angry with himself. He takes it out on Murray, winning the first two points for a 0-30 lead, and soon he has three break points when Murray nets a volley. Murray pings a cracking forehand into the left corner but Ferrer comes up with a stupendous shot down the line and Murray is forced to hit long. Ferrer breaks! This is not the way Murray would have envisaged starting the second set.
ANDY MURRAY WINS THE FIRST SET 6-4!
Ferrer has to hold here to stay in the first set. A double fault makes it 15-all. A sign of nerves? Perhaps. Murray then tempts him into going big on the next point and Ferrer knocks a forehand wide for 15-30. Ferrer is desperate for a first serve here, so much so that he challenges when the umpire and a line judge both call one wide. The Spaniard does so more in hope than in expectation and Murray dominates his second serve with an array of stinging backhands, before timing his move forward well and producing an exceptional backhand volley that lands right on the baseline. Murray has two set points. And the pressure tells. Ferrer double-faults!
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First set: Murray* 5-4 Ferrer (*denotes server): This has the potential to be a tricky game for Murray, who must be so frustrated he’s not serving for the first set here. Yet he begins it style, thumping a meaty forehand down the line for 15-0. Then, some absurdity. Ferrer is in control with a big backhand down the line. Murray’s retrieval shot hits the top of the net and Ferrer flicks what looks like a winner of a cross-court backhand volley away. Murray just storms off in pursuit of it, though, gets there, and loops a backhand past a peeved Ferrer thanks to the help of another net cord. Murray holds to 15.
First set: Murray 4-4 Ferrer* (*denotes server): The umpire calls a Ferrer forehand long on the first point, but the Spaniard isn’t convinced. He challenges and of course it turns out the ball was in. Ferrer’s not too impressed. “My bad,” says the umpire repeatedly, holding his hands up, and Ferrer has to get on with it. He’s got bigger problems on his hands when Murray whips a forehand from right to left for a 0-15 lead, then when Ferrer drags a forehand wide to make it 0-30. Murray spies an opening and he grabs two break points when Ferrer sends a skittish forehand well wide at 15-30. The first goes to waste, Murray flashing a forehand wide and losing a challenge in the process, and then it’s Ferrer’s turn to challenge a Murray forehand near the baseline. It’s Murray’s point if Ferrer’s wrong, but he’s not wrong, the ball was well long. Deuce, then. Ferrer tries a dinky drop shot. You can hear Murray straining to reach it, willing himself forward, and he prods a brilliant shot past Ferrer for another break point. Yet Ferrer won’t lie down. He zaps a deep backhand at Murray, who’s thrown off balance, netting his backhand. Eventually Ferrer clings on.
First set: Murray* 4-3 Ferrer (*denotes server): David Ferrer is 33 but he still moves so well. Murray should take a 30-0 lead when he’s at the net but Ferrer, seemingly out of the rally, uses his speed to get out of a difficult situation. Murray does win the next point, but then comes a sloppy unforced error for 30-all. He needs to be focused here - and it’s a good time for a big first serve. “Come on!” Murray cries, before wrapping up another hold when Ferrer nets a forehand.
First set: Murray 3-3 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer catches Murray with a disguised drop shot for 40-15, earning himself an appreciative round of applause from the crowd. He wins the game with a difficult smash and there’s nothing between these two at the moment.
First set: Murray* 3-2 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray leaps into an overhead and holds to love. Nothing to see here.
First set: Murray 2-2 Ferrer* (*denotes server): The first two points are shared, before Murray takes a 15-30 lead with a lovely backhand behind Ferrer, who was off running in a different direction. Yet Murray is disappointed with himself when he nets a backhand on the next point for 30-all. He remains patient, though, and he chips away at the Ferrer backhand, until one finally finds the net to give Murray his first break point. A classic ensues. Ferrer thinks he’s got the point won quickly when he comes up with a fearsome serve out wide and a forehand into the opposite corner, but Murray, the supreme scrapper, has other ideas. Murray gets back on a level footing. Ferrer eventually goes for the drop shot. Murray charges forward and tries to trick him with a feint of the head, like Ronaldinho giving him the eyes – but Ferrer is too smart. He reads Murray’s intentions and drags the game to deuce, from where he holds with a dainty volley.
First set: Murray* 2-1 Ferrer (*denotes server): Murray rattles his second ace away for a 30-0 lead and then sneaks in to punch a volley away for 40-0. Then he offers another reminder of his incredible defensive qualities, scampering across the baseline to reach a dropping ball and outwit Ferrer with a cracking lob. He’s very quick.
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First set: Murray 1-1 Ferrer* (*denotes server): Ferrer skips into a 40-0 lead, helped by Murray just dabbing a backhand volley into the net at 30-0. Ferrer polishes off the game by reaching a drop shot and befuddling Murray with a sharp switch at the end.
First set: Murray* 1-0 Ferrer (*denotes server): It is Andy Murray to serve first and he begins with a zipper of an ace down the middle, 136mph and perfectly placed down the T. Yet Ferrer then unleashes with a couple of swerving forehands that allow him to dominate the next two points at the net for a 15-30 lead, and Murray could do with a first serve. He doesn’t get one, but he wins the point, pulling a forehand to the right and forcing Ferrer to hit wide for 30-all. It’s a tense start, though, and Murray then gives up the first break point when he shanks a forehand long. They trade blows from the back of the court, until Ferrer tries to run round a forehand and boom a winner down the line. The ball lands a fraction long, an early escape for Murray, who holds from there, the first obstacle overcome.
We’ve had the toss. I think Murray elected to serve first, but it was hard to hear. They’re knocking up now.
Here come the players. David Ferrer first, then Andy Murray. No prizes for guessing who got the bigger cheer from the crowd.
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Andy Murray speaks. “I feel pretty good. I had to adjust my schedule a lot post-US Open. It allowed me to get time off.”
Preamble
Hello. For seven players, this is the beginning of the end. For Andy Murray, the end could be the start of something special. Individually, the season’s final act begins at the O2, and Murray will undoubtedly be hoping to do well in a tournament which has not always seen him at his best, but there’s no rest when it’s over, whether that’s after the round-robin group stage or after the final on Sunday. Instead his attention will turn to helping Britain win the Davis Cup for the first time for the first time since 1936. It’s not going to be easy, but when has Murray ever been afraid of a gruelling slog? And it’s not like he’s not got a history of ending long waits.
There was a brief suggestion that he would swerve the ATP Finals this week, choosing to place all his focus on the Davis Cup final against Belgium next weekend instead. Britain’s hopes largely rest on his weary shoulders and the quick switch from an indoor hard court to a clay court is bound to be tricky. He’s got a lot on his plate, which is why he’s been taking steps to ensure that his back will be able to take the strain.
Yet this is an important week for Murray in its own context, even with the distraction of destiny and fate and history lurking on the horizon. If he goes far in London, he could end the year as the world No2, which could help him in the draw for the Australian Open in January, and it would represent a major achievement for a man who must have wondered if he would ever scale these heights again when he went under the knife two years ago. Overall he’s had a fine season, winning four titles, impressing on clay and maintaining his excellent consistency throughout. He’s not won a slam, but reaching the final of the Australian Open and the semi-finals of the French Open and Wimbledon aren’t to be sniffed at, especially when the men beating him were Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, neither of whom have exactly been in shabby form this year.
Sure, Murray’s angry defeat to Kevin Anderson in the fourth round of the US Open was a huge disappointment, his earliest exit at a slam since losing to Stan Wawrinka in New York in 2010, but it is a sign of his steel, competitiveness and quality that he dragged himself off the canvas to help Britain win their Davis Cup semi-final against Australia a week later. Think back a year ago, specifically to the night when a fragile Murray was pummelled by Federer at the end of a long, fraught, testing campaign, and it’s clear that he’s come a long way since recovering from his career-threatening back surgery.
Murray’s week begins with a tough match against David Ferrer, the stubborn world No7, but his recent record against the Spaniard is encouraging. He’s won his past four matches against Ferrer and the most recent victory was only 11 days ago, a 6-4, 6-3 triumph in their Paris Masters semi-final. They’ve not met here since 2011 – a 6-4, 7-5 win for the Spaniard, a year after a 6-2, 6-2 win for the Scot - and Murray will be eager to get off to a strong start given that his group contains Rafael Nadal and Wawrinka.
Play begins at: roughly 2pm GMT.
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