Murray puts silver gloss on ranking rise

Published on Sunday 16 August 2009 22:42

ANDY Murray fought back brilliantly to beat big-hitting Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro in the final of the Rogers Cup in Montreal.

The Scot looked set for defeat after Del Potro took the first set, the first Murray had lost all week.

Del Potro continued to look formidable, and his heavy forehands were proving devastating, but his level dropped once Murray won the second set tie-break, and the man who will be confirmed as the new world No 2 today completed a 6-7 (7/4) 7-6 (7/3) 6-1 victory.

It gave him a 13th career title, and fifth of 2009 matching Rafael Nadal for most tournament victories this year.

Twelve months ago there might have been tension between the pair, following an incident in Rome where Murray accused Del Potro of insulting his mother, Judy.

However they resolved their differences after Murray beat Del Potro in the US Open quarter-finals last September, so this was simply a showdown between two outstanding hard-court players, and it proved a memorable occasion.

Del Potro had knocked out Nadal in the quarter-finals, proving too strong for the Spaniard who was playing competitively for the first time since relinquishing his French Open title in Paris back in early June.

He had then eliminated Andy Roddick in the last four, to stretch his winning streak to 10 matches, after winning in Washington DC last week.

Del Potro took the first set on a tie-break, after neither player dropped serve. He claimed a vital mini-break on the ninth point of the tie-break, and served out.

Murray broke the Del Potro serve in the opening game of the second set, but the advantage did not last. Del Potro broke back instantly, and then held serve.

The way he swatted away a difficult cross-court forehand to win the fifth game of the set was indicative of his confidence. But the set remained on serve, and it was not so easy to sway Murray away.

Another tie-break loomed and, after an early exchange of mini-breaks, Murray took charge of it to level the match.

Murray dominated the opening four games of the deciding set, winning each of them, before Del Potro, who had looked a beaten man, hit back briefly by breaking Murray to 15.

The fightback was short-lived though, as Murray won the next two games to complete a stunning victory, and improve his record against Del Potro to four wins in five meetings.

In Saturday's semi-final, Murray was too strong for the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who had shocked world No 1 Roger Federer in the last eight.

Tsonga pushed Murray hard but the Scot always seemed to have something in reserve at the key moments as he claimed a 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) victory.

A tight start was broken open when an outrageous netcord helped Murray to break for a 3-1 lead.

Tsonga threatened an immediate response, but wasted three break points as Murray held on.

Murray served for the set at 5-3 but was unable to get the job done as Tsonga hit back to frustrate the Scot.

But he then wasted all his hard work by gifting Murray two break point chances with Murray taking the second – and the set – with a winning cross-court forehand. Tsonga improved on serve in the second set but he continued to make little impression on the Murray delivery.

Last year's US Open runner-up cranked up the pressure in the eighth game but could not convert either of two break point opportunities. It went to a tie-break with Tsonga claiming a mini-break for a 3-2 lead which he then squandered by netting a drop shot.

Another mini-break gave him a 5-4 lead and the chance to serve out the set. But again Murray hit back and although he had to save a set point, a netted backhand from Tsonga gave Murray his first match point which the Frenchman staved off with a clever drop volley, lob volley combination.

Tsonga wasted another set point before Murray clinched the match with a wonderful return which his opponent could not scoop back over the net.

Murray became the first British player to win the event formerly known as the Canadian Open. The last Briton to reach the final was Roger Taylor, who lost in 1970 to Rod Laver.