In their first encounter, Andy Murray and Gerald Melzer offered an entertaining and intense match. Despite a straight sets win for Murray, the Brit struggled as his opponent had plenty chances to turn this match around. In a match that lasted over two hours, Murray had to come back from behind and had to overcome problems serving for the match to win 7-6, 7-5. Gerald Melzer proved to be a tough opponent for the world number one who after the match praised the Austrian. With this win, Murray has secured his place in the quarterfinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open.
Intense opening set as Melzer forces Murray into a tiebreak
The match began with an exchange of holds, where the Austrian struggled to keep his serve. However, Melzer quickly became a threat to the world number one as he got three break points, Murray managed to get one back but after a great return from the Austrian he sealed the break with a smash to lead 2-1. It was a wake-up call for Murray who stroke back with his defensive skills to force the mistake on Melzer and get the break back. On his serve, the world number one quickly had a lead of 30-0, but the Austrian was not slowing down and he put some pressure on the Brit who couldn’t consolidate his hold. The Brit used his serve to get himself out of trouble and after a missed return from Melzer took the lead at 3-2. Inspired after recovering from being a break down, Murray frustrated Melzer’s attempts to hold only to break him after a hitting a cross court backhand to lead 4-2.
But Melzer was not done yet and crawled back to push Murray one more time and get a tiebreak that would get him back to the game after he consolidated with his serve to be 4-4. The Brit struggled with his first serve and his second serve was always returned aggressively. The Austrian managed to get a break point, but Murray made good use of his defensive skills to stay in the game and eventually be up 5-4. The intensity of the game continued as Melzer served to stay in the set. The Austrian struggled and in two occasions faced a set point, but was skillful enough to fight back and tie things at 5-5. An easy service game from the Brit helped to go up again 6-5. The Austrian needed a hold to force a tiebreak and struggled to hold his serve as he faced two more set points but erased them to decide the set in a tiebreak.
Murray was in a hurry in the tiebreak racing to win the first five points and getting a very comfortable lead. On his serve, Melzer was able to score two points but the gap was still wide. Hope came when the Austrian managed to get a mini break to get rid of one set point only to eventually save two more set points to be 5-6. In his eighth set point, Murray had the task to serve it out but was surprised by Melzer who hit a stunning forehand passing shot that blot out the Brit’s lead. Still, on serve Murray booked himself a ninth set point with an ace. A backhand unforced error from Melzer finished an intense first set.
Melzer breaks to stay in the match, but Murray proves to be too strong
The second set began with Melzer holding his serve to be up 1-0, but Murray who seemed a bit more relaxed after winning a tight first set raced to hold to love to level things at 1-1. But Melzer was not giving up and didn’t decrease his intensity as he held again to put more pressure on the Brit. After another easy hold from the top seed, it was now Melzer who felt the pressure as he faced the first break point of the set but the Brit was not able to convert it after hitting a long return. Despite having trouble on his service game, Melzer went on to win the game and go up 3-2.
But the world number one was having fewer problems with his game of serve as he held to 15 to tie again the scoreboard at 3-3. One more time, Melzer found himself in trouble as he faced one break point. The Austrian tried to save it by hitting a great drop shot, but the world number one ended the point with an amazing passing shot that handed him the break and the lead for the first time in the set. Back on serve, Murray didn’t struggle to consolidate the break and lead 5-3. The Brit quickly got himself two match points on Melzer’s serve, but the Austrian was not ready for this match to be over and saved them to go 4-5.
The pressure was now on Murray’s racquet as he now had the duty to serve for the match, but Melzer, despite being in a non-favorable position stroke back and stunned the top seed to break him to equalize the match at 5-5. Murray’s response to the break was loud and clear as he got himself three break points. However, Melzer showed the same courage he had displayed this entire match and saved them all to force a deuce. But Murray was decided to get the break and when he got one more break point he took it forcing Melzer to hit the unforced error after a hitting a deep forehand. Again, the Brit had a chance to end the match on his serve. Melzer started with the score in his favor, but quickly the top seed recovered to turn the game around and get his third match point. Murray hit a wide serve that forced Melzer to send a long return sealing the match after two hours and twenty-three minutes.
Next for Murray
In the semifinal, Murray will face Nicolas Almagro. The Brit leads their head-to-head 4-1, their last match being in 2014 in Madrid where Murray turned out victorious after a three set battle. Almagro's only win against Murray was in 2008 at the French Open.