Monte Carlo R2: Andy v Victor Hanescu

Mikeduke · County player

RE: Monte Carlo R2: Andy v Victor Hanescu

Mikeduke · County player

Two pretty fast games to go to 5-3, Victor finally winning a game on serve

Mikeduke · County player

Andy closes it out 6-3 , seems like Andy has found his feet. As long as he starts ok I fancy a fast second set

Mikeduke · County player

Solid start to the second set no bp 1 -1

Mikeduke · County player

Andy breaks for a *2-1 lead

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Not playing great but seems be doing enough at the moment. Very little penetration on first serve and the second serve has been punished a few times. Drop shots have generally been good, and indeed successful, but the routine forehand crosscourt has been abysmal, regularly landing midway up the net.

Just needs to concentrate on holding serve from here.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Super lob after Hanescu's half-volley of a trademark Murray crosscourt forehand pass, gives Andy break point and Hanescu's backhand is wide for the break.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Mikeduke wrote:

And its all over, 6-1 in the second, disaster for Simon!

That makes him the third seed to fall today, as Albert Montañés put out the 16th seed, Nicolás Almagro, by 7-6(6) 4-6 7-6(5) earlier, too - three to follow Stepanek out of the early exit door! wink

wolf · Tennis legend

GSM Murray 6-3, 6-2.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Decent start to the clay court season. Hanescu was good in patches but overall rather unimpressive. Andy's forehand looks a weak shot on clay and he never really launched into his double-handed backhands.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Andy

I just got in in time to see the rather shaky start, but he improved as the match went on. Clay is never going to be his best surface, but I have hopes that he will become competent enough to win enough matches to keep his ranking up ready for the faster surfaces!

DUSTY DICK · Club Coach

Ok-ish start for Murray on the red stuff. I feel sure we will see him improve his clay record from last year even if he doesn't challenge at the business end of events.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Decent start for Murray on the clay and he looked better in the second set when he'd had a bit of time to get used to playing on the surface again.

Still doesn't look as if he is totally comfortable with playing on it, and hasn't quite worked out how to use his game to it's best yet, but he's looking decent enough to suggest he could have a couple of good runs with some kind draws.

Fognini or Cilic in round 3 should be interesting - I'd suspect it would be Cilic, who is a decent clay courter, so that would be a test as to how good on the surface Murray actually is at the moment.

Vandenburg · Futures level

yeh, a QF appearance at Roland Garos would be brill, beacuse against a top 20 clay court specialsit, i reckon he could be in trouble, gota watch out for the spanish n argy players rankend in the top 100 who come out of the wood work.