Andy Murray overcomes Stanislas Wawrinka to reach the semis – Shanghai Rolex masters 2011
World number four, Andy Murray of the Great Britain went through some tough time before he finally took down the injury-stricken Swiss opponent, Stanislas Wawrinka, in the quarter-final clash at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Thursday.
The enthralling three-setter took two hours and twelve minutes to conclude, with the second seeded Briton coming out as the winner at 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Wawrinka was suffering from a lower back strain after he pocketed the second set and his debilitating conditions
eventually wore him out in the final set to let Murray conclude a convincing victory in the end.
“I got myself pumped up right at the beginning of the third set,” admitted Murray. “I think it was important. Stan was playing very well. I was trying to control the ball, especially [in the] middle of the second set, I was really struggling. I started dictating
a lot of the points with my forehand and trying to get the first strike in 'cause the court is playing very fast. That worked well.”
It was the 10th time these two men have faced each other and the fourth ranked Briton improved his head-to-head record to 6-4 against the Swiss. Their last meeting was held at the 2010 edition of the US Open, with Murray outclassing Wawrinka in
four sets 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-3, in the round of 32. The Briton registered his 52nd victory of the current year on Thursday to earn a place in the semi-finals of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Masters Series event.
Rated at number 19 in the ATP World Rankings, Wawrinka took a sloppy start in the contest but gathered up his pace in the second set to get on top of his game. With the contest levelled at one set apiece, Wawrinka started to suffer from a lower back pain
but kept play the contest after a massage session with his trainer.
The Swiss number two never looked in a great shape in the final set of the game and seemed in no good condition for taking down the belligerence of the second seeded Briton. Wawrinka was launched by a series of forays from Murray and his deteriorating physical
condition left him no option but to succumb in the final set of the match to let the Briton through to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters.
Murray will take on the Australian qualifier, Matthew Ebden, in the quarter-final clash on Friday afternoon. Ebden stunned the world number 12, Gilles Simon of France in the third round to meet Murray.
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