FORMER RUNNER-UP MURRAY DOWNS DEL POTRO IN STRAIGHT SETS TO REACH FRENCH OPEN FOURTH ROUND

Written by: Staff on 3rd June 2017

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

FORMER RUNNER-UP MURRAY DOWNS DEL POTRO IN STRAIGHT SETS TO REACH FRENCH OPEN FOURTH ROUND

epa06003551 Andy Murray of Britain in action against Martin Klizan of Slovakia during their men?s single 2nd round match during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2017. EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT |

By Ricky Dimon

Andy Murray has struggled to maintain momentum from his 2016 run to world No. 1, but he may be heating up just in time for the most important part of the season.

With the year’s second Grand Slam in progress, another one exactly one month away, and a third to begin in less than three months, Murray is raising his level to the tune an impressive first week at the French Open. Following four-set victories over Andrey Kuznetsov and Martin Klizan, the Scot took down Juan Martin Del Potro 7-6(8), 7-5, 6-0 during third-round action on Saturday afternoon.

Murray survived a one-hour and 25-minute first set and eventually prevailed after two hours and 53 minutes.

A grueling opener that in hindsight proved to be decisive saw Del Potro earn set points in three different games–returning at 5-3, serving at 5-4, and in the tiebreaker at 7-6 and 8-7. The 2009 U.S. Open champion turned in a costly double-fault on his third set point.

After the set, a distraught Del Potro slumped over the net in agony for more almost a minute.

Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina reacts as he plays against Andy Murray of Britain during their men’s singles 3rd round match during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2017. EPA/TATYANA ZENKOVICH

“Too much frustration,” he said of his reaction. “I couldn’t believe that set–that I lost that set. Because I had many opportunities to win. I have been playing great, great points during whole the first set. But this happens when you play against the No. 1 in the world or a great champion as Andy.”

“Regardless of how someone reacts necessarily, you still have to expect that they are going to come out and start the set strong,” Murray explained. “I was starting to play a bit better towards the end of the set. I was starting to get a better read on the returns, and I wanted to come out and make it really tough for him beginning of that second set–because he had had opportunities to close it out.

“It was like an hour and a half set that he just lost and I wanted to keep the momentum with me.”

Murray broke right away to begin the second and although the 2016 runner-up gave it back at 5-4, he eventually took the set 7-5. Another fast start in the third saw Murray break for 1-0, and this time it was full steam ahead. The top seed did not lose a single game in the set and dropped a mere 11 points in total.

“It was obviously an important win for me and a big match, because when he’s playing well, (he) is one of the best players in the world,” Murray said of Del Potro. “To be playing him this early on in the slam is obviously not easy, but it can be a very positive thing. (When) you play someone that good, maybe you’re a little bit more switched on. Your focus is maybe a little bit higher.

“Definitely on the clay court season, (the) second or third sets were the best I have played, for sure.”

“He took the little chance to win both (of the first two) sets, Del Potro reflected. “Then in the third was really hard to me mentally. But anyways, I think I did a good tournament. I did a good clay season and I’m looking forward to playing [well on] the grass.”