It would have been a lot more fun if it had been against Rafa with all the crowd going nuts, for sure, but it's hard to begrudge Simon his place in the Final after what he did yesterday.
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
0-15 - big fh dtl from Murray sets up the point, but the approach is a bit to predictable and passive and hits a huge fh pass on the run 15-15 - good fh from Murray with safe play, and Simon puts the running bh wide 30-15 - fh-fh rally, but it ends with Simon putting a fh dtl long 40-15 - good serve and a good fh is too good from Simon 40-30 - Murray nets with a bh Game Murray - good fh approach from Murray and the bh pass from Simon hits the net
15-0 - bad fh error from Murray, missing the tramlines - looks like he may have broken a string on the shot though 15-15 - average return, but Simon's fh goes way long 30-15 - Murray nets with a bh 40-15 - Simon has a good serve out wide, steps in with the bh, and Murray nets the fh pass 40-30 - fh return winner Game Simon - both men content to rally until Murray frames a fh, Simon attacks with the bh, Murray's response clips the net and drops just over, but misses the bh lob
15-0 - Ace 30-0 - unreturnable serve 40-0 - 2 great fh's from Murray and Simon can do nothing with the bh pass 40-15 - short return, but Simon recovers well with a great bh and Murray nets a fh dtl Game Murray - unreturnable serve
15-0 - fh return is long 15-15 - good bh return off a 2nd serve, and he steps in with a fh winner 30-15 - Murray tries a dropshot but it doesn't come off, and a big fh and bh winner 30-30 - Simon nets a fh after great defence 40-30 - unreturnable serve Game Simon - Murray tries to step in with a bh but it flies long
0-15 - 2 great bh's from Murray, but he nets an easy 3rd 15-15 - Ace 15-30 - great work by Simon to sneak into the net and then he puts away a bh volley 30-30 - good fh's by Murray, he plays a nice dropshot, and then puts the bh pass away 40-30 - Ace Game Murray - great bh return, but Murray plays a good fh pass and Simon nets the volley
0-15 - Simon nets a bh 15-15 - fh sliced return drops just long 30-15 - good bh return from Murray who comes in behind, but Simon hits a great bh pass 40-15 - good deep hitting from Simon, and Murray goes long off the fh Game Simon - return isn't good enough, and Simon hits a fh dtl for a winner
Simon leads 4-3
The quality of the match has picked up a bit, and the crowd actually are making a bit of noise now, but it still doesn't feel like a final (but it's not like a first round match anymore, so an improvement)
15-0 - Ace 15-15 - decent return, and Murray nets the fh 30-15 - good hitting from both, but Simon flies long with a bh 30-30 - short 2nd serve, and Simon hits a bh return winner 40-30 - Murray gets inside the baseline and hits a lovely bh dropshot for a winner Game Murray - Simon in control of the point, but when he tries to step in he nets with the fh dtl
15-0 - Murray goes just long with an attempted bh winner 30-0 - Ace 30-15 - lovely bh sliced approach by Murray and Simon nets the fh pass 30-30 - Murray steps in on a 2nd serve and hits a bh return winner 40-30 - Murray nets a bh slice Deuce - great hitting from Murray and he gets to the net, before putting away a bh volley Adv Simon - great serve out wide, and a nice bh winner Game Simon - bh return is long
15-0 - Ace 30-0 - Ace 40-0 - unreturnable serve 40-15 - big fh return draws the error from Murray 40-30 - Murray's bh approach isn't good enough and Simon hits the bh pass on the run Game Murray - Ace
0-15 - Simon goes long with the fh 15-15 - Murray nets a 2nd serve bh return 15-30 - one of the better points in the match, with nice hitting from both, Murray hits a good bh approach and Simon's lob is long 30-30 - big hitting from Simon and a fh inside out is far too good for Murray 40-30 - Murray works the ball around well, but gets too passive and misses a fh wide Game Simon - Murray drags another fh wide
15-0 - bh error from Simon 30-0 - poor approach from Simon, but Murray's bh lob is magnificent 40-0 - good defence from Murray, and Simon goes long with a fh 40-15 - fh error from Murray after a big bh from Simon Game Murray - he gets to the net and puts away a good volley
*0-1 - fh return is long *0-2 - decent return from Simon, and Murray puts a fh long 1-2* - good serve and a bh, and Simon can't do anything with it 2-2* - good deep groundstrokes from Murray and Simon nets a bh *3-2 - huge bh winner from Murray after a long rally *3-3 - long rally, Murray goes for the dropshot but Simon gets to it and flicks the bh away for the passing shot 4-3* - excellent dropshot from Murray, Simon gets to it, but Murray puts the volley away 4-4* - Simon s/v's and puts away a great fh volley *4-5 - Murray always on the defensive but plays a good dropshot, but Simon gets to it and puts the bh dtl away *4-6 - brilliant return from Simon, and then a massive fh winner 5-6* - Murray goes for another dropshot, and again Simon gets to it, but just puts the fh pass wide 6-6* - Murray in control of the point after a great return, and gets to the net with a good fh approach, and Simon nets the bh pass *7-6 - short 2nd serve, but Murray hits a brilliant bh return winner GSM Murray - great point to finish - Simon's return creeps over the net and Murray plays a good volley, but Simon lobs him, but misses a backhand volley
Well done to Andy, the match picked up a lot in the second set. He hardly ever loses tie-breaks does he? Hope he can finish the year well and then push for his first slam in Melbourne in 09.