Tormented Murray makes progress

ONE opponent is clearly not enough for Andy Murray. If he is to achieve his goal and make his way to the business end of the US Open, he is determined to do it by beating whoever the draw puts in his way and by beating himself.

Yesterday he took just over two-and-a-half hours to get the better of Michael Llodra and four sets to counter his own frustrations as he reached the third round 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6. It was neither pretty nor entertaining, but at least it was a win – and that will do for now.

"He is such a tricky guy to play against, he is very good at the net," said Murray. "It was a tricky match and I knew it was going to be tough but I am glad I came through. I think everyone feels a bit of pressure in those tense moments. I think he served well on those big points but he did miss an easy shot and I managed to get a few returns back."

Llodra is a flamboyant Frenchman with a penchant for exhibitionism. Not only did he once hide naked in Ivan Ljubicic's locker, but he celebrated winning the Australian Open doubles title with Fabrice Santoro in 2004 by stripping off in the middle of the Rod Laver Arena and signing autographs in his underwear. He has had plenty to celebrate this year – although, fortunately, he has remained fully clothed at all times – as he collected two trophies and pushed his singles ranking up to a career-high No34 by the beginning of June.

With a left handed serve, Llodra likes nothing better than to skip into the net behind it and attack at every opportunity. For the first set, this tactic suited Murray perfectly as he dusted off his passing shots and showed off his backhand to the New York crowd that has come to love him over the past couple of years.

But then, inexplicably, Murray's game evaporated at the start of the second set. Broken in the second game, his shoulders drooped and suddenly nothing would go the Scot's way. His first serve became more erratic and his mood darkened. By the time his serve was broken for the second time, Llodra was bossing him about in the rallies and Murray was powerless to stop him.

Luckily, Scotland's finest has a grumpy streak and for all that Llodra was growing in confidence, Murray was fuming that he was letting the Frenchman have his own way. Fending off three break points at the start of the third set, he was urging himself on at every opportunity. Every winner was greeting with cries of "Come on!" as he tried to force himself out of the slump.

A difference of opinions with Carlos Bernardes, the chair umpire, helped stoke the competitive fires. Having escaped with his service intact in the first game of the third set, he then thought he had earned himself two break points when Murray presumed Llodra had served a double fault. But there was no call. "Oh my God!" Murray howled, placing the ball wide of the line where he thought the original serve had landed.

Two games later he was still chuntering away about the supposed injustice, but at least it seemed to have focused his mind. He was still in the fight and even if he was not making any impression on Llodra's serve, he was not giving the Frenchman anymore chances to take control of the match. Finally getting his nose in front by breaking Llodra to love to wrap up the third set, Murray seemed to have got over the worst of his struggles and appeared to be on his way to the third round.

Two exchanges of breaks in the fourth set did little to settle the nerves, but at least Murray was playing better. Every time he dropped his serve, he snatched it back in the next game and did so with comparative ease, but, even so, it did not make for relaxing viewing. As the fourth set tiebreak unfolded, the momentum swung back and forth with worrying regularity, but the longer the match went on, the more likely it seemed that the Scot would win. Sure enough, 13 minutes after earning his first match point, Murray converted his second and was through to fight another day.

Murray now faces a similar opponent in Jurgen Melzer. The Austrian is another left-hander and another bizarre character who can be either brilliant or batty depending on his mood. So far he has been impressive and has been on something of a roll this week. The 27-year-old Austrian yesterday walloped Jiri Vanek 6-0, 6-2, 6-2.

• British No 1 Anne Keothavong will take on Olympic champion Elena Dementieva today. Making her US Open debut, Keothavong, the world No87, completed her second win in three days on Wednesday with the upset of 25th seed Francesca Schiavone of Italy, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.