Andy Murray bounced back from a rough period in his career by dominating Alexandre Müller of France in their match at the Qatar Open. Despite some tense moments, Murray maintained his composure and secured a 6-1, 7-6 (5) win, advancing to the second round with a much-needed boost of confidence.
Murray, who had never before experienced a losing streak of more than four matches in his 21-year career, stepped onto the court in Doha having lost six matches in a row, with his last victory dating back to October. “The past few months have been incredibly challenging for me on the court,” he shared after the match. “I haven’t won many matches and I’ve lost several close ones as well. It was getting tense at the end there. I’m thrilled to have made it through.”
Although Murray’s age of 36 may limit his physical abilities, most of his recent struggles can be attributed to mental challenges. In crucial moments of his previous matches, the 50th ranked player has appeared lacking in confidence. However, on Tuesday, he displayed a sense of liberation and determination from the beginning, adding more power to his forehand and aiming to control the game. He successfully ended points at the net, created opportunities with angled shots, and effectively utilized drop shots.
After recovering from a knee problem, Murray appeared to be smoothly heading towards a win after taking the first set and break. However, he lost the break and faced a tough battle. Despite Müller, ranked 75th in the world, taking control of the baseline and executing successful drop shots, Murray stayed calm. In a challenging tie-break, he managed to win the last three points from a 4-5 deficit, sealing the victory with a crucial backhand return on match point.
Murray showed an understandable level of excitement after his win, which was more enthusiastic than his typical reaction to first-round victories at ATP 250 events. He pumped his fist several times and then went to his team’s box to give high fives. When the interviewer mentioned that it was his first win of the year, Murray playfully raised his arms in triumph.
“He expressed his pride in successfully completing the match and securing another victory. He also expressed gratitude towards his team who have been diligently working with him to overcome this challenging moment. He hopes that this win marks the beginning of a successful streak.”
Murray will be playing against 18-year-old Czech player, Jakub Mensik, in his next match. This will be his first time winning back-to-back matches in a tournament since August.
Unfortunately, the winner of the Australian Open, Aryna Sabalenka, was unexpectedly defeated in her first match of the Dubai WTA 1000 tournament. She lost to Donna Vekic from Croatia with a score of 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-0. This was Sabalenka’s first competition since her victory in Melbourne back in January.
Last week, Iga Swiatek emerged victorious at the Doha WTA 1000 tournament and continued her winning streak by beating Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-4 in the second round at Dubai.
Source: theguardian.com
