Andy Murray struggles past Xavier Malisse into the round of 16 – AEGON Championships 2011
Great Britain’s top player Andy Murray, ranked 4th in the world, survive a second set scare to defeat world number 40 Xavier Malisse of Belgium in three sets 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the second round of AEGON Championships at
the Queen’s Club in London on Wednesday. It took the Brit an hour and 48 minutes to oust his opponent in a tough rain interrupted match.
Murray made a promising start to the match as he broke the Belgian in the second game of the first set and held his next service game, blazing forward to a 3-0 lead. Malisse was unable to break back throughout the set, losing the
set 3-6. Murray hit four aces and 50 percent of the first serves in the first set, converting 67 percent of them into points. The Brit capitalised on one of the two break point opportunities and saved both break points on his own serve in the first set.
In the second set, Murray and Malisse held their serve in the first eleven games, taking the score to 6-5 in the Belgian’s favour. Serving to stay in the set at 5-6, Murray could not hold his serve and lost the set 5-7. Malisse
made drastic improvements in his serve, firing five aces and 74 percent of the first serves in the second set. The Belgian claimed 75 percent of the first service points in the second set. The six feet and one inch tall succeeded in saving all the three break
points he faced and converted one of the two break points on Murray’s serve in the second set.
Murray came back as he broke Malisse in the third game of the final set and consolidated on it to take a 3-1 lead. The Brit broke his opponent again in the ninth game to win the set 6-3. The London resident capitalised on both
break point opportunities he created on Malisse’s serve in the third set.
Murray said, talking to the journalists in the post-match press conference, "The court is playing very, very slow for a grass court, [so there were] quite a lot of rallies. I had a little chance at the end of the second set, didn't
take it, and obviously he got back into it and started playing better but I managed to turn it around in the end."
The right handed is drawn to play fourteenth seed Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia in the third round.
Commenting on Tipsarevic’s game, the Brit said, "He's a very good player. I lost to him here a few years ago. He's a good grass-court player, [a] tricky opponent. I have to play better than today if I want to win that one."
This will be the seventh meeting between Murray and Malisse. They are tied at 3-3 in the FedEx head-to-head record.
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