Andy Murray continued to roll back the years by fighting
back from a set down to move into the
Qatar Open semi-finals at the expense of
unknown quantity
Alexandre Muller.
The 35-year-old had to dig deep once again to battle back
against the French qualifier, taking it 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in two hours nine minutes
in Doha. The Scot will now face Czech youngster
Jiri Lehecka in Friday’s
semi-finals after the 21-year-old battled from a set down to shock top seed
Andrey Rublev. It was a lively start by two-time Qatar Open winner Murray,
who looked dialled in from the first serve, getting balls in the court and
carving out a couple of break points in Muller’s first service game. An early advantage
was secured after the French World No.170 netted.
But Muller responded brilliantly, breaking straight back in
the next game with a superb winner and levelling the match up with serve at
2-2. The French underdog had settled into the match at this point and began
forcing errors from Murray, and he flipped the match on its head with another
break and hold to lead 4-2.
It was draining, punishing tennis at this stage with both
players breathing hard after only six games. Murray failed to capitalise on two
break points in game eight and Muller served it out confidently to take it 6-4.
Murray has won four times on tour this year and on each occasion, has been at
least two points from defeat. And the Scot refocused to break the Muller serve
twice and race to a 5-0 in the second. A good hold from Muller re-established
himself on the scoreboard but Murray used his years of experience to level up
the match at a set each.
Muller had never reached an ATP quarter-final before and was
up against an opponent who was looking for his 122nd ATP semi-final,
a man who is the master of momentum. The former World No.1 continued the
onslaught early in the decider by putting a missed opportunity in the first
Muller service game behind him to break in the next to lead 3-1. There is no doubt Muller was playing a higher level of
tennis than his 170 ranking in the first set but he just couldn’t repeat the quality as the old warrior across the net played some scintillating stuff,
almost toying with the beleaguered Frenchman by use of the slice backhand to
break again.
The man from Poissy, France showed the grit that had given him the best week of his career but Murray - who apparently doesn't do straight sets anymore - finished it in style with a brilliant backhand that Muller could only net.