That would explain the sudden drop in level. He was playing quite well for all the first set and the start of the second, though a bit rusty. Then very suddenly he seemed to go all to pieces, serving double faults and weak forehands and backhands(!) into the middle of the net. If he was feeling sick or something like that it would explain things nicely.
Lets hope it was largely down to illness but if it wasn't then I'm still not really worried. Andy playing atrociously against lesser players at relatively small tournaments, especially after having a few weeks off, is not exactly a first.
Yes, glad there seems a reasonable possible explanation for today's events.
Could really do without prolonged post Australianitis this season, and he did seem to come out of Australia in much better shape this year, even though not making the final, and talking well. So no reason for the extended turmoil of the last 2 two years.
-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 28th of February 2012 11:08:55 PM
I don't know if you watched the video of him where he went to the top of that very tall building in Dubai in order to kick a football a few times. He seemed very relaxed and confident and there was no signs that he was in a post Australian Open slump / sulk. He spoke briefly about his game and said he was very happy with how he was playing in the big events and said that if keeps doing things right he would get there in the end (i.e win a grand salm), no ifs, no maybes, he said he would get there. It was refreshing to hear him talk so positively.
Andy won comfortably 6-3 6-4, just one break in each set but he was playing well within himself. Never even faced a break point, and took 2 of the 6 he got against Chiudinelli.
I had to go out just before the end, but I was watching on tennis.tv so I was able to rewind when I got back and watch what I had missed
Andy will play Berd-brain (5) in the QF - & will need to do something about their head-to-head: Andy beat him the first time they played, on carpet in Basel in 2005, but has lost the last three (Adelaide (hard) in 2006, Roland-Garros in 2010 & the Paris Masters (hard) last year)...
I see Youzhny's just beaten Fish (6) by 6-2 7-6(0)!
Andy does something about the negative head-to-head:
QF: (3) Andy Murray defeated (5) Tomas Berdych (CZE) by 3 & 5 in an hour & 51 minutes (two service breaks to one in that second set & he struggled to close out the match... )
Andy does something about the negative head-to-head:
QF: (3) Andy Murray defeated (5) Tomas Berdych (CZE) by 3 & 5 in an hour & 51 minutes (two service breaks to one in that second set & he struggled to close out the match... )
Djoko or Tipsy in the semi...
It was actually 3 breaks to 2. More like a WTA match!
Yesssss!! I had to go out when Andy was serving at *4-5, deuce, in the second set. So great to come back and find a straight sets win against his bugbear! (well, one of them )
Andy does something about the negative head-to-head:
QF: (3) Andy Murray defeated (5) Tomas Berdych (CZE) by 3 & 5 in an hour & 51 minutes (two service breaks to one in that second set & he struggled to close out the match... )
Djoko or Tipsy in the semi...
It was actually 3 breaks to 2. More like a WTA match!
Was it? I was actually trying to work as well as keep track of his progress, so it's hardly surprising that I missed a couple!