2011 Australian Open: Andy Murray ousts Alexandr Dolgopolov to secure a spot for himself in the semi-final
2010 finalist here, Andy Murray moved a step closer to a maiden title win at the Grand Slam Down Under today as he dismissed the rising Ukrainian, Alexandr Dolgopolov in
a four set win.
Murray first came to the event in 2006 however; his career best at the event did not come till 2010 when he enjoyed a run all the way into finals though he failed to clinch
the title, losing to champion Roger Federer.
Dolgopolov had come into the event with the most surprising upset of the event, the ousting of fourth seed Robin Soderling. The Ukrainian was bound to be trouble for the
Brit. And he almost became more than Murray could handle before the latter downsized him in four sets.
The higher ranked Brit broke Dolgopolov’s service twice, in the second and fifth game, to lead the score 4-1. However, finding his footing in the sixth set, Dolgopolov bounced
back after a four deuces to go 2-4 in the score. Continuing to hit back relentlessly, Dolgopolov was eventually able to level the score at 5-5. Winning the next game on his service, Murray led the score 6-5 bringing it down to the twelfth deciding game. Locked
in a tooth and nail battle in the twelfth game, the game lasted for over ten minutes with Dolgopolov taking the game to five deuces and hitting four of sixteen aces. However, the Ukrainian lost the game on account of errors on his part, allowing the Brit to
go 1-0 in the set score.
The second set saw the hard hitting Ukrainian ease up. Breaking service once in the fourth game, Murray led the score 4-1 early in the second set. Extending this lead, Murray
was able to clinch the second set 6-3.
One would have assumed, standing 2-0 in the set score, Murray would have been able to secure a straight sets win for himself. However, what came next was truly edge of the
seat, nail biting action with the Brit and the Ukrainian going at it with all they had. Pushing each other, both players sent their opponents running all over the courts, determined to not slip up. The set was eventually pushed into a tiebreaker. Leading the
tiebreaker 2-0, an error on Murray’s part allowed the Ukrainian the room he needed to bounce back and win seven successive points to secure a 7-2 win.
Desperate for a win, Murray hit back in full form in the fourth set and rushed into an early lead of 4-1. The Brit was eventually able to secure a spot for himself in the
final four with a 6-3 victory in the fourth set.
Although Dolgopolov hit 57 winners with sixteen aces to Murray’s 30 winners, he also committed 77 unforced errors which cost him the match. Murray enjoying his four set
win will next play either Rafael Nadal or David Ferrer.
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