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9/6/10 6:27 AM | Ricky Dimon
The U.S. Open lost one of its primary title contenders on Sunday. Andy Murray goes down to Stanislas Wawrinka in an improbable third-round upset.
Andy Murray's quest for a first Grand Slam title will have to wait until 2011.
Murray was upset in the season's final major on Sunday, bowing out in the third round of the U.S. Open 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-3 to Stanislas Wawrinka. The world No. 4 led by a set and a break but ended up succumbing after three hours and 56 minutes of play.
While Murray, who lost to Marin Cilic in the fourth round last year, was eventually in for another early loss in Flushing Meadows, that did not appear to be the case for most of the first two sets. The Scot stormed back from a deficit in the first to force a tibreaker, which he dominated seven points to three. He then raced to a 3-0 advantage in the second, seemingly in complete control.
When Murray failed to served out set two at 5-3, however, the tide turned for good. After extending it to a tiebreaker, Wawrinka used the momentum to take the 'breaker seven points to four. The world No. 27 finished it off with a perfect serve-and-volley tactic.
Early breaks in both the third and the fourth decided it four Wawrinka. The Swiss gave back his break in the fourth, but quickly seized another and this time refused to give it away. Murray did well to battle back from 0-40 at 2-4, but he could not make his opponent serve out the match as he eventually got broken at 3-5. A final errant forehand by Murray clinched it for Wawrinka.
"I think all my game was pretty good, it was one of my best matches for sure," said Wawrinka, who will meet Sam Querrey for a place in the quarterfinals. "I was very aggressive. I was doing everything really good so I'm very happy. I think at the end of the first set I was playing a little bit too defensive. That's what I started to change in the second and third and fourth sets, to stay aggressive, even if he's coming, even if he's putting a lot of pressure."
As for Murray, one more season goes by in which he falls short at the majors. "I have no idea of whether I'll win a Grand Slam or not," said Murray. "You know, I want to but if I never win one, then what? If I give 100 percent, try my best, physically work as hard as I can, practice as much as I can, then that's all I can do."
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Winning Toronto or Cincy is irrelevant as far as the USO is concerned, no matter who you beat to the title. There is absolutely no history to Toronto and Cincy being the blue print for Flushing Meadows.
Murray himself must have known that winning 1 title in 12 months doesn't make you the favourite to win your 1st GS.
nadline , 9/6/10 8:18 AM
Now we must wait for FEDAL match . I am sure rafa will be in the final match. no one can hurt him up to title match . but Roger must fight with Soderling and Djokovaic in his way .
pnp , 9/6/10 10:04 AM
Federer is still in cruise control whereas Soderling and Djokovic have both had some tough matches along the way. I'm fully expecting Roger to do a Roger and pile on the pressure when he really needs to.
ed251137 , 9/6/10 10:19 AM
Yup, Nadal's path is pretty decent now.
Didnt expect Murray to lose to Wawrinka though, did anyone see that coming?
mriiidula , 9/6/10 11:09 AM
Yup, Nadal's path is pretty decent now.
Didnt expect Murray to lose to Wawrinka though, did anyone see that coming?
mriiidula , 9/6/10 11:09 AM
mri, I did. I looked at their h2h, and even though Murray was 5.3 on Stan, they've always had very close matches, so I thought it could go either way. I don't buy into headlines, I always check the stats to make up my own mind.
Stan may be No 27, but that doesn't count for a row of beans against a player he always pushes hard. I knew Rafa would almost certainly beat Simon, but I also knew that if Rafa dropped his guard, Simon could beat him. There are no certainties in sport.
nadline , 9/6/10 11:35 AM
Murray fails to deliver again and one hopes now that the British media in particular, will keep their expectations in check. It's becoming a bit like with the England football team, a few good wins and the hype goes into overdrive. His defeat again highlights what it takes to win a Grand Slam. He can beat Nadal, Federer etc in 2 out of 3 sets in Masters events, as he knows he has to focus all the time to win. Against opponents he's expected to beat, in 3 out of 5 sets is where you get the lapses in concentration. At 3-0 up in the 2nd set he thought the match was over and beacme complacent instead of finishing off the match. To be fair there were so many incidents (injury time outs, Stan calling out during a rally, foot faults etc) Rafa would've had the mental strength to deal with these but Andy let things get too him too much. He still relies too much on opponents to lose matches for him and until he asserts himself and concentrates all the time, he may never win a Slam. It will get harder though with the likes of Del Potro returning and he may even go down to No5 now if Soderling goes all the way this tournament.
Lebsta , 9/6/10 11:52 AM
Party time for RAFANs.
Now FED & Djok only.
Ricky lost one of the 3 (or 5) men he picked to beat RAFA
sabs , 9/6/10 12:05 PM
Stan played some beautiful aggressive tennis. If one is gonna win the USO he has to play aggressive. Defense is important but changing from defense to offense and attacking instead of waiting for the opponent to make errors that is what takes to win USO. Andy has to learn to use his talents and he has to become more confident. His body language in these crucial moments has been showing his opponents that he was to surrender and that always makes the opposite side stronger. Waw went for his points, played some great shots even when bothered with injury, while Andy did not use his chances and looked beaten before the match was over...I feel sorry for Andy but something has to be done for his mental strength...and I still think he should have not let his coach Mac go...
natashao , 9/6/10 12:08 PM
Nadline - yea I guess. But Wawrinka hasn't really done anything worth talking about for the last few months, so I never expected this. I never thought Murray would win this, but thought he'd lose to someone more..'obvious'. Guess I underestimated Stan.
mriiidula , 9/6/10 2:08 PM
This here emphasises the fact that in tennis.....there is Federer and Rafa...................and then everybody else!!!!
Do you think Fed or Rafa would EVER hang their heads when they find themselves on the losing side of a match?!!! This is so ridiculous, Andy at this satge of his career does not know how to fight and get himself back in gear and focus?!!!!!!! I mean, frankly, i did not want him to meet Rafa bcos i was afraid he might take Rafa out, BUT Andy had no business losing this match bcos he is such a good player and he had the upper hand.........not taking anything away from Wawa bcos he played great!! I mean on Sunday I realised why I never really liked Andy................mentally he is a LOSER!!!! So many times Federer and Rafa have had to come from sets and breaks down to win their matches..............its all part of the game and it should be expected in GSlams!!!!!!!!!!! What the hell is wrong with Andy?............and he did himself NO favours by admitting that he does not know if he will ever win a GSlam...............boohoohoo!!!
He should just shut up and get his arse back out there and PLAY!!!!
With respect to Rafa, i like his chances to win simply bcos I know he will NEVER give up and will put out all his effort to win!!! That is why Rafa will ALWAYS be MY favourite guy!!
VAMOS!!!!!!!!!
Monalysa , 9/6/10 2:24 PM
mri, players work on their game all the time, that fact that they don't do well in months, doesn't mean they are done for ever. They have peaks and toughs, and when they go through a bad patch, it could be for any number of reasons that we may never know about. So just because you lose to someone doesn't mean that you will always lose to them.
nadline , 9/6/10 2:42 PM
I'm probably the only person in the world who was not in the least bothered about Rafa playing Murray, because I believe that Rafa would have won hands down.
nadline , 9/6/10 2:45 PM
Never thought Stan was done forever. Just didn't think he'd beat Andy Murray. Especially looking at current form.
mriiidula , 9/6/10 3:02 PM
Well ... I guess now we won't get the chance to see how they may have fared with each other. :(
smr , 9/6/10 3:04 PM
True, smr, but then we have already seen them go at each other in two slams this year. Neither of those was a final, either. I guess most people are hoping for The Only Rivalry That Counts to re-boot next weekend - it's been a long time, after all.
gorafago , 9/6/10 6:02 PM
Murray was so dissapointing with negative body language in this match
If he is to win a GS ever -he needs to GROW up and have mental toughness to start with he has the skill but not the attitutude
he gave it away
sals3 , 9/6/10 6:04 PM
I'm probably the only person in the world who was not in the least bothered about Rafa playing Murray, because I believe that Rafa would have won hands down.
nadline
, 9/6/10 2:45 PM
the least bothered, don't kid yourself? Who are you trying to convince? yeah right. the person who never watches a rafa match (until the very end) 'cos she's always got to go for a walk or is on holiday, when other fans actually bother, win or lose.
Murray lost, he'll win again, he beat both rafa and roger at toronto, which gave a very good indication to all the critics that murray was in top form. But they do this every year, don't they?
The media always big up murray and I think the pressure got to him.
More than anything, it shows that any of the top players have to be on their guard and focussed every second of a match.
rafa's draw actually got a whole lot easier - it would be great for a fed/rafa final, but still a long way to go before the 7th match.
maxi , 9/6/10 7:21 PM
Yawn...
jean , 9/6/10 7:51 PM
jean,
some people are just a waste of space........yawn!
VAMOS RAFA!
nadline , 9/6/10 8:07 PM
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Poor Murray. It took him long enough to get over this year's AO. How long will this take to digest?
ts38 , 9/6/10 7:37 AM