Andy Murray struggles past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets to win title – AEGON Championships 2011
Top Brit Andy Murray clinched the title win at Queen’s Club on Monday after he bounced back from a set down to do away with Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Brit took almost two hours and thirty minutes to secure a 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 victory over Tsonga.
Commanding a 4-1 lead in their head-to-head, Murray entered the match as the crowd favourite determined to outshine the Frenchman one more time. The Brit also held more experience on grass than the French, though Tsonga could not be written off completely since he had bounced back from one set down to oust reigning world number one, Rafael Nadal earlier in the event. This was the pair’s first meeting ever in a title match.
Coming into the first set, Tsonga did not show any signs of being under pressure of the overwhelming stats stacked against him. Holding onto his opening serve plausibly, Tsonga comfortably put himself on the scoreboard. The Brit soon followed the Frenchman. However, from thereon Tsonga dictated the shots. Although both players continued to win their next two service games, it was the Frenchman who dominated the Brit.
A clean break for Tsonga in the sixth game with no point loss put him in a 4-2 lead, which he extended to 5-2 minutes later as Murray failed to convert a breakpoint opportunity to his advantage. Serving for the set at 5-3, Tsonga was all set to clinch the set when resistance from Murray forced a deuce. A winner from the Frenchman and an into-the-net shot from Murray, allowed Tsonga to clinch the first 6-3.
Taking almost 40 minutes, Tsonga struck four aces, won a whopping 82% on first serve and successfully saved three of three breakpoints to go one up in the set score.
Although trailing in the set score, Murray was far from done with. Renewing his resistance against Tsonga, Murray continued to win his service games allowing no breakpoint opportunity to the Frenchman. With the scoreboard ticking on even terms, the set was tied for twelve games forcing the first tiebreaker of the game.
Riding the cheers of the local crowd, Murray dominated in the tiebreaker as he rushed to an early lead before clinching it 7-2.
Maintaining his form into the third set, Murray clinched an early break in the third set to secure a 4-2 lead. Continuing to win on his serve, Murray served out the set at 5-4 without the loss of a single point to cinch the final set 6-4 and seal his three set win.
The Brit clinched his second title here having won it earlier in 2009 after defeating American James Blake in the title match.
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