Thank goodness I only got in to watch the last 6 games plus tie-break. Nerve wracking to say the least. Will watch my recording and read through the thread later but relieved that the win came eventually. With other seeds dropping out, that's also great news for Andy. Smaller leaps although the next 2 tournaments will be crucial for a while at least. Must admit Fed's comments don't look quite so out of place after today.

goldfish wrote:

---

Thank goodness I only got in to watch the last 6 games plus tie-break. Nerve wracking to say the least. Will watch my recording and read through the thread later but relieved that the win came eventually. With other seeds dropping out, that's also great news for Andy. Smaller leaps although the next 2 tournaments will be crucial for a while at least. Must admit Fed's comments don't look quite so out of place after today.

---

Phew, what a relief!   Since the match didn't finish until after I'd started my lunch break, I was able to watch the last couple of games + the tie-break on Eurosport, which my PC at the office will actually allow me to do!    I spent most of the final set thinking it was all going to go badly wrong. Thank God he was able to turn it round! They're all allowed to "win ugly" every once in a while, I know, but I sincerely hope that's the really ropey match out of his system for this tournament & that he can continue his winning streak against Davy-donkey, too...!

*  Berdych (8) has lost to López (3-6 6-4 4-6) &, for a while, I though Ferrer (4) might be about to follow him through the exit door, which would have meant that Davy-donkey was the only seed left -  - but I see that he's just levelled his match with Olivier Rochus at 3-6 7-5!  We'll see....

woohoo thnaks :)

Andy Murray maintained his unbeaten record against Fernando Verdasco winning a tight match 6-3 3-6 7-6 in the second round in Dubai. In the windy conditions Murray struggled to find his touch and was ultimately somewhat fortunate to go through to meet Davydenko in the next round.

Big serving got Andy out of danger in the opening set, while Verdasco double faulted to concede the only break of serve. Into the second set, a poor drop shot from Murray handed Fernando the early break but he managed to break back for 3-4, only to lose his serve immediately.

If anything it was Verdasco who looked the favourite as they started the final set. Murray was reluctant to take the initiative, his patient rallying allowing Fernando to determine the outcome of the majority of the points. However, Andy did break for 4-2 but yet more careless drop shots cost him his next service game. Serving at 5-5 Murray looked in deep trouble having missed his first serve at break point down but his fierce backhand pass was too much for Fernando who volleyed into the net.

The final set tiebreak was a patchy affair. A couple of poor forehands from Verdasco gave Murray a 3-0 lead and an unreturned serve made it 6-2 but three disappointing shots from Andy took the score to 6-5. Both players appeared to be struggling with nerves during the final 34 shot rally but ultimately it was Verdasco who fired long.

Despite winning five points less than his opponent, Murray got the win, just.

* Part of the report from the Beeb site:
Murray was well below his best in the windy conditions - he only managed 54% on his first serve overall - and admitted he had been nowhere near his best form.

"I was struggling to find the right shots and was mis-hitting a lot of balls - I'm just glad to get through in the end," he said. "To play a match after winning against Federer was always going to be difficult mentally. It was really tough because there was no pressure against Federer and today I was expected to win. Davydenko is a tough match, he's been in the top 10 for the past few years but I've got a good record against him."

'Twill be very interesting to see which Murray turns up tomorrow.