Andy Murray reaches the last eight in Shanghai
Andy Murray defeated Jeremy Chardy in the Shanghai Masters on Thursday, earning him a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament and at the ATP World Tour Finals in November.
Having overcome Bai Yan in two sets yesterday, Murray did the same against the faltering Chardy, winning 6–3 6–4.
"It was a big match because I knew if I won I qualified for London," the Scot said about qualifying for the ATP Finals. "I was a little bit nervous."
That nervousness showed in the beginning of the first set, as Murray conceded three break points to Chardy in the first game of the match.
Despite the shaky start, the world number four fought back to hold his serve in the first game before breaking Chardy and earning a 2–0 lead.
The Frenchman, who faced Murray for the third time after losing both previous encounters, squandered break points at 3–1 and 4–2. The Scot then held his serve to seal the set at 6–3 with a neat lob and
an ace.
Murray's first serve looked strong at the beginning of the second set, but the Briton failed to break Chardy when the Frenchman's sloppy volleys gave him the chance to do so at 1–1.
Game over midway through the second set
At 3–3, Murray finally broke Chardy's serve, as the Frenchman hit his first double fault of the match after saving two break points.
Chardy defended the first two well, hitting a strong backhand to pass Murray for the second, but on the third he was beaten in the game's crucial moment.
Chardy, ranked 59th in the world, managed to hold his serve, but so did Murray, whose ace earned him three match points at 5–4. He needed only one, as Chardy mishit a return as Murrary wrapped up the set
and the match at 6–4.
"I served well under pressure. That was really, really important to get a good start in the match because he's very, very streaky. He can play some great tennis, so I needed to try to get ahead early and
I managed to do that," said Murray, who went on to admit that he was tested by Chardy.
"I feel like when I am sweating a lot I am in a match and it's incredibly humid in here so it wasn't actually a problem."
The Scot will now face Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the last eight of the tournament.
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