Andy Murray gets lucky against John Isner in quarterfinal– US Open 2011
A week back, the Brit world No.4 Andy Murray was toiling away on Louis Armstrong Stadium, with two sets down against Robin Haase in the second round match and seemed bowing down and out of the US Open quick and early. But the world
No.4 jumped back in the game in 5 sets to beat the Dutch world No. 41 and into the 3rd round.
Figuring out the next round with a straight set win, Murray then went on against the 2nd tallest, John Isner, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium for the quarterfinal match on Friday, 9th September. Taking on against
the American giant it took the Brit 204 minutes to smother the 26-year-old in a 4 set play winning 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2).
The “six-niner”, Isner, made his first appearance in the US Open quarter-final on Friday. Playing extremely competitively, the local lad had the World No.4 on the ropes for most of set 3 and 4. Booming down with his serve and net
game, Isner slammed majority points through his strong perfected forehand.
Starting off with the opening set, Isner fired up game 1 converted a breakpoint and rolled down the score board. Following the gigantic American, Murray followed and levelled up every time the 26-year-old took a lead. With scores
now set at 5-5, the Winston-Salem open winner served again, however, was broken down. Taking the advantage, Murray blistered the 13th game, bagging the set 7-5 to the match 1-0.
Seeded 28th, Isner once again took the first serve and opened up, however, the Brit came from above breaking early and taking the lead, 1-0. Gaining the advantage breakpoint, Murray then maintained the two games lead
to end the second set score to 6-4.
With 2 sets down, Isner pulled off his best weapons arsenal to counter the world No.4 from beating him. Pinning the agile Murray to the baseline, the 26-year-old played extravagant forehands and net play to overdo the higher ranked
rival. Breaking early, game 2, Isner withheld a strong 3 games lead and took it till the end to finish off 6-3 and cut the match lead to 1-2.
Serving first for the decider, Murray opened up for the longest set of the match and for the first time and immediately took the commanding lead. However, Isner levelled off whenever the Brit tried to lead the game. Eventually
the final set jammed up in a tiebreak match winner.
The tiebreaker started off with Isner double faulting early to hand the world No.4 a 3-1 lead. The local lad missed a forehand volley with a shank into the next to go down 5-2, and tipped a drop-shot attempt into the tape, 6-2.
Isner’s wide reply of the match point serve landed Murray in his 8th grand slam semi-final in seventeen major events.
Even though the gigantic American had won 13 of his 14 tiebreakers on tour; he could not pull off one more as Murray ended his long streak of winnings and moved into the semis to play the King of Clay Rafael Nadal.
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