Andy Murray battles past Gilles Simon to secure final spot – PTT Thailand Open 2011
Top seeded British Andy Murray rallied past third seeded French Gilles Simon in a three setter nail biter match at the PTT Thailand Open 2011, an ATP World Tour 250 series event held on the indoor hard courts in Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok, Thailand. He registered a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over the Nice native, Simon to advance into the final on Saturday.
Meeting each other for the ninth times, world number four Murray improved his head-to-head record by 8-1 against the Frenchman, world number 12, at the Impact Arena. After earning this one hour and fifty-three minutes success, the British lad confidently booked a title round spot.
24-year-old British flashed into the Thai hard courts and quickly plucked in entire serves without facing any breakpoint. He cashed in on both breakpoint opportunities to his advantage to tuck in the opener with a 6-2 victory. Murray formulated a much better first serve share of 80 percent as compared to the Frenchman’s 65 percent and earned a spectacular 88 percent win on it.
The Frenchman founded his way in the second set. He unleashed barrage of groundstrokes to reel off first three games in a row. Regardless of failing to save the only breakpoint faced, Simon converted his second breakpoint chance to his advantage to seal the equaliser with a 6-3 win. He manifested a higher first serve share this time and earned an acceptable 50 percent win on it.
The top ranked player of the tournament, Murray drilled his way back in the final set and held his opening serve convincingly to take the initial lead. He then got the first blood in the second game and eventually went 3-0 up through blistering forehands from his box of skills. The high spirited British then held remaining serves and broke Simon’s serve again in the last game to clinch the decider with a 6-2 score line.
Up next for the blissful British is the American Donald Young who stunned second seeded French Gael Monfils in brutal three sets to reach this final spot. Murray needs to maintain his composure to triumph his third year-to-date title and his nineteenth overall.
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