Andy Murray trounces Lukas Lacko in the second round – Rakuten Japan Open 2012
Defending champion, Great Britain’s Andy Murray, demolished the world number 65, Lukas Lacko of Slovakia, in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 in the round two of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.
The top seed required just 57 minutes to register this one sided win and move to the last 16.
Murray made a flawless start, grabbing opening five games to race to a 5-0 lead. Lacko held his serve in the sixth to and reduced the trail to 1-5. The British number one did not lose any grip on the proceedings, serving it out
to win 6-1.
Ranked third in the world, Murray banged in three aces but also committed a couple of double faults in the first set. The Brit had an incredible conversion rate, winning 10 of the 12 first and seven of the 10 second delivery points.
The 25-year-old was also brilliant on replies to the Slovakian’s serves, as he secured seven of the 10 first and two of the three second return points.
Murray and Lacko began the second set by winning their opening serves and levelling the proceedings at 1-1. The British star grabbed five back to back games after that, sealing it 6-2.
The London, England resident repeated his first set’s performance of three aces but managed to reduce double fault to one. The right-hander inflicted most of the damage on his opponent with the help of accurate first serves and
second returns, clinching 10 of the 14 and seven of the nine points on them respectively.
Murray said at the end of the contest, “I began the match very well, which was nice because it was long day to get on. I started the match almost perfect. That was important. Once I got the break in the second set, I started to
play better.”
The Brit added, “He had a good US Open and did well in Cincinnati. I think hard courts are a good surface for him. I’ve had a lot of tough matches with him over the years, especially on the hard courts. I would expect the same
on Friday.”
Murray will face Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland for a place in the last eight.
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