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1/20/09 3:32 PM | Cheryl Murray
Number four ranked player Andy Murray advanced to the second round when opponent Andrei Pavel was forced to retire with a chronic back injury.
Murray and Romania’s Pavel were scheduled first on Rod Laver Arena, a position Murray has admitted to disliking. The early start time and immense heat showed in Murray’s game. Despite the easy score line, the Scot was not at full capacity for the set and a half that the men played. Murray seemed sluggish throughout the first few games, particularly on serve where he threw in a couple of truly bizarre double faults, where his second serve landed several feet outside the service box.
The Scot seemed to finally find his range by the middle of the first set. He began moving better and more importantly hitting better. Pavel would have had a difficult time winning the match even if he had been 100% physically, but the Romanian was struggling with a chronic back condition throughout the match. By the time Pavel retired, he was forced to ask chair umpire Norm Chryst to have somebody carry his racket bag for him back to the locker room.
Murray will meet Spanish clay-courter Marcel Granollers in the second round.
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I agree. He was clearly hobbled coming into the match.
cherylmurray , 1/20/09 5:00 PM
Didn't help Murray either, despite what people say about him getting out the heat early.
alex , 1/20/09 6:36 PM
Cheryl - I remarked myself on that Murray serve that missed the T by 5 feet. Apparently he was blinded by the sun and the few troubles he had were at that end of the court.
alex , 1/20/09 6:41 PM
Alex - yes it was probably his issues with the sun - still, you rarely see a top player truly shank a serve like that. And I think he did it twice or three times. And no, I don't think it helped matters for Murray to have Pavel retire. There was no chance for the Scot to get any sort of AO rhythm.
cherylmurray , 1/20/09 9:27 PM
No denying Murray was pretty stiff last night, never really got past third gear. Thanfully he's lined up to meet Melzer in the third round, not the second.
alex , 1/21/09 12:07 AM
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Pavel should not have entered this tournament. He essentially took a spot away from someone - perhaps even a young up-and-comer - who could have used Grand Slam experience.
RickyDimon , 1/20/09 3:40 PM