Former world primary Andy Murray was at a loss to elucidate how he saved 5 match factors Saturday to beat Czech challenger Jiri Lehecka and attain the Qatar Open ultimate.
The 35-year-old launched right into a roar of pleasure after the 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6) triumph that took him into his first ATP tour ultimate for eight months.
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Murray now has to tackle Russian world quantity eight Daniil Medvedev who beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (9/7) within the second semi-final.
“That was one of the most amazing turnarounds of my career,” mentioned Murray, a two-time winner in Qatar.
“I don’t know how I managed to turn that match around.” Murray saved two match factors on his personal serve and three as his 21-year-old opponent tried to finish victory together with his personal huge serve.
The British veteran, who had a hip alternative in 2019, has now come again from eight match factors in 4 matches on the Doha event.
He has fought two tie-breaks and been taken to a few units in each match this week.
“I have never experienced this in my whole career,” he mentioned. After he took the primary set with out shedding a recreation in simply 32 minutes, Murray had believed this could be a better encounter — “and then it turned into something completely different”.
Murray had the most effective of a nervy begin by each gamers. Considered one of many hottest prospects on the tour, Lehecka, who beat prime seed Andrey Rublev within the quarter-final, served first, went 15-40 down, had two benefit factors after which let Murray take over.
The Czech rediscovered his huge serve and highly effective returns for the second set when he broke Murray’s serve in straight video games.
Murray reclaimed two match factors on his serve within the deciding set and Lehecka had three extra when serving at 5-4. Murray took the sport and held his nerve within the tie break.
“This week could have ended very differently,” admitted the previous two-time Wimbledon champion.
“But the way that I have played in the really important moments, the critical moments, has shown that there is a confidence and a belief in my game that has been missing for a while.”
Murray final reached an ATP ultimate in Stuttgart final June. He has not received a event since Antwerp in 2019 and has misplaced to Medevedev in straight units in every of their two conferences.
Medevedev mentioned Murray’s efficiency in Doha has been “unbelievable”. “I will have to be at my best from the first to the last point,” mentioned the Russian.
“He is a legend,” Medvedev added. “He is playing better and better, not only here but in general. He is fighting, it is amazing to see.”
Television presenter Jaiden Michael summed up the insane feat with one tweet: “What the actual f**k Sir Andy Murray.”
The Russian has now overwhelmed Auger-Aliassime in all six matches they’ve performed, together with within the quarter-finals in Rotterdam final week the place Medvedev took the title.
Auger-Aliassime managed three set factors to take the second set and keep within the match however made errors within the tie break.
Source: www.news.com.au
