Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open - Final - Andy v Roger Federer

Mikeduke · County player

RE: Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open - Final - Andy v Roger Federer

Mikeduke · County player

Well that is more fun! Andy plays an awesome backhand almost round the net post to get break points. Then he beats fed at the net.

2-1*

Mikeduke · County player

Murray is still struggling with his first serve. But a hawkeye challenge gets him out of trouble and he holds to 30.

2-2

Mikeduke · County player

Murray looking good on the Fed serve and takes him to 15-40 but Feds serve gets him out of trouble a few times. Murray is looking a lot better on serve now and holds convincingly.

3-3

Mikeduke · County player

Murray again gets to 15-30, is that every game now? He needs to start taking some more of these chances. Fed ups his serve once again and gets out of trouble.

4-3*

Mikeduke · County player

Murray gets broken after another DF, his first serve is down at 45%! Disappointing after all those chances on Fed serve. Fed serves out the set easily.

6-3

Murray needs to improve his serve!!!!!

seagull · Hall of fame

No variety from Murray. No drop shots no serve volley..just waiting for Fed to make a mistake...disappointing

Mikeduke · County player

Well the second set was a bit depressing, but Murray has looked a lot better in the third. His serving has been a lot better and he has been hitting better on Feds serve.

Finally he breaks it! COME ON MURRAY.

Mikeduke · County player

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Andy

Mikeduke · County player

At least we are getting our drama in this tie break!

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Shame. Just nowhere near good enough performance. Failed to take his chances when they came in both the first and third sets. Hard to make sense of the tactics, seemed to be hoping that Roger's backhand would break down. So many floating backhand returns from Fed that invited a serve and volley but it never happened. Similarly whenever an aggressive shot created an opening to come to the net, he stayed back. Played well in patches but also some horrible spells and clearly lost his nerve on the big points in the third set both when serving for the set and on set points in the tiebreak. Serving in the first set was shocking.

I thought Federer played well but not amazing. Match that Andy might have won had he performed at a high level. So many careless errors in the key games in the match. Return of serve was disappointing too, especially returning 2nd.

A bit worrying really. Andy's a good player but he sure didn't look like a future slam winner today.

-- Edited by kundalini on Sunday 31st of January 2010 12:45:48 PM

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Back to the drawing board, Andy. The better player on the day won, I'm afraid.

Vandenburg · Futures level

i think wat boris b said was very fair in that in earlier rounds against diff people you can be the definition of a definsive baseliner, but agasint fed in a slam final yourve sometimes go to hit more agressive shots and look for winners.

and despite what people say about federer playing out of his skin today, i think was accurate but murray i think was very nervous either way.

wolf · Tennis legend

In the end Federer was way, way to good for Andy. This is not his 16th Slam win for nothing, and he showed all his class today.

Having said that it was clear Andy was never going to beat him from the back of the court so it was disapointing to see such a lack of variety with no drop shots or any serve/volleys. All Federer was doing was chipping every return into the court, and serve/volleying would have put some doubt into his mind.

I've said before Andy lacks an attacking slice shot, he looks so ill at ease taking on short balls he needs to able to chip the ball low into a corner and approach.

It didn't look likely at any point Federer was going to lose, a great shame Andy couldn't take that third set but unfortunately nerves played a massive, but still a set to remember from both, especially the tie-break.

goldfish · Futures qualifying

Tough one Andy. No amount of screaming at the TV seemed to help. Always a bit of a let down at the end of a slam and especially after one with so much promise. The next chance is unlikely to come at the French and with the added pressure at Wimbledon, I fear we still have a long wait for a winner.

That tie-break was exhausting.