Match report

Ivo Karlovic © Tennistalk.com
Western & Southern Financial Group Masters
Semi final
8/2/08 1 2 Tot
hr  Ivo Karlovic 4 4 0
gb  Andy Murray 6 6 2
Andy Murray © Tennistalk.com

  • Murray the Cincinnati kid makes first masters final

    8/3/08 3:15 AM | David Cox
    Andy Murray produced a sublime returning performance to move into his first masters series final, at times totally dismantling the towering Karlovic serve to progress 6-4, 6-4.

    We all expected at least 1 tense tiebreak but they never came. Karlovic was having to dig deep just to hold serve and was lucky to get 8 games such was the ease with which Murray picked serves regularly over 130mph. Breaking the Croat 4 times in 2 sets is almost unheard of, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the only time it's happened all year. Federer managed just the 1 break in 3 earlier this week. When you consider that Murray had 13 break points in total it could quite easily have been a total thrashing.

    For the first 10 minutes of this semi-final it seemed it'd be anything but a routine straight sets stroll for the Scot. In the early stages he was strangely reluctant to trade from the baseline with Karlovic, serve-volleying behind serves barely reaching 110 mph. As a result he found himself 2-0 down.

    Whether it was the pressure of the occasion or just Murray's superhuman anticipation ability but for once in his career, Karlovic was barely getting any serve freebies at all. He ended up with just 7 aces on a fast, bouncy hard court. He'd expect to get more than that on clay. He wasn't painting the lines with his customary accuracy and the ball just kept landing back at his feet, Murray soon drew level again in the first set and broke for 4-3 with a stunning forehand pass off a ball just centimetres above the ground.

    You can tell Karlovic is struggling when even he starts to think twice about attacking the net. When he did he usually regretted it. This was Murray at the top of his game, conjuring up the most acute angles and delicate lobs at will

    Murray wrapped up the first set and struck further into his opponent's confidence by breaking immediately in the second. Karlovic isn't a player fazed by the pressure of break points and he saved 6 in that game but the 7th was 1 too many. It was quite incredible how Murray seemed able to lob the 6ft10in Croat with ease from almost anywhere on court. Such was the topspin he generated, Karlovic would've needed to be 7ft10 to reach them

    The Croat's resolve remained unbroken and he kept plugging away regaining the break for 3-3. However Murray was not to be denied and he struck again at 4-4 before booking a final berth

    Most crucially today, Murray's serving was excellent, in the high 70s percentage wise and from the baseline he was the model of consistency, 24 winners to just 11 unforced errors. A repeat on Sunday could land a first major title

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