Week 24 - ATP - Queen's Club - R3: Murray versus Gulbis (LAT)

john · Top national player

RE: Week 24 - ATP - Queen's Club - R3: Murray versus Gulbis (LAT)

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

A somewhat battered and bruised Andy Murray defeated Ernests Gulbis 5-7 6-1 6-4 and will now face Andy Roddick in the quarter-final at Queens. Both players struggled with the court surface, regularly losing their footing and crashing to the ground.

Serve dominated the opening set until events contrived to put Murray in danger when serving at 5-5. A wild shot from Gulbis sailing yards long hit Murray as he tried in desperation to avoid it while running across his own baseline. In the same game Andy injured his thumb diving to intercept a pass that never made it over the net. Ernests punished a weak second serve then saw Murray double fault to give away the first break of serve. Gulbis produced a heavy first serve to save a break point before clinching the set.

Into the second set Murray appeared to be reading the serve better and the quality of his return was much improved. A lovely backhand drop shot winner got him the break but a careless start to his next service game put him under pressure at 15-40. Big serving got him out of trouble and he finished the game with another delightful drop shot. One way traffic as Andy stormed through the set 6-1.

The final set started with Murray soon crashing to the ground again; this time it was his ankle giving way, causing him to injure his groin and neck. Both players held comfortably until Gulbis' forehand was challenged and shown to have landed narrowly wide, creating two break points for Andy. On the second of these opportunities Ernests' smash looked good enough to win him the point but Murray, dashing yards behind his own baseline, came up with a fierce backhand that Gulbis could only volley into the net. Andy served out the match to love.

A slow, tentative start from Murray but he raised his game as the match progressed and ended a deserved winner. Plenty of drop shots from both players though Murray produced more good than bad. Overall solid but not spectacular from the british number one and he may need to be more ambitious with his shot selection if he is to beat Andy Roddick in the next round.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Thanks, Kundalini, I have put that up on bt.net.

I have just read through the thread and I think some of you were very harsh on Andy in the first set. Yes, he was playing too passively, but don't forget he had had only two games on the surface while Gulbis had had two matches. I certainly was not expecting a fast start from him, especially considering the two of them were slipping and falling all over the place.

I agree he would have to play better to beat Roddick tomorrow, and I would love him to do so, but not at the expense of injury and putting himself out of Wimbledon.

-- Edited by Madeline at 17:46, 2008-06-12

john · Top national player

That would be me being harsh lol Mad, sorry.

But no Murray match thread would be complete without me having a little moan about Andy at some point lol. He's frustrating like that, but then that's what makes him so entertaining

Drew · Jun 12, 2008

Beeb just reported that Andy may not play his QF due to the injuries he picked up today.

indiana · Tennis legend

I have to say if Andy has doubt about playing with injury, that would be the sensible thing to do.

Too often in the past he has played when it didn't seem wise to and seemingly picked up compensatory injuries.

I hope anyway that nothing is really serious, and any withdrawl will be more precautionary to allow his body to get back to 100% ( or as near as possible in these days when players constantly report niggles )