1 Response to cincy10fish_murray

1. Voo de Mar says:

   January 29, 2025 at 10:01 pm

   Points won by each set: [ 44-48, 27-18, 47-44 ]
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   25 % Fish – 31 of 120
   33 % Murray – 36 of 108

   # Prior to 2010 Murray had a great record in deciding 3rd set tie-breaks (10:1), then lost two matches of this type to Fish (three matches in total to him that year), who wasn’t a specialist of closing out tight matches. Their quarterfinal was played in very difficult conditions (35°C), so the opening set seemed to be crucial. Murray [4] saved two set points in the 9/7 tie-break (at 5:6* with a forehand lob, 6:7 with a service winner), but he suffered a physical crisis (legs) at the beginning of the 2nd set losing his serve twice. He had won two matches at the time throwing sets in the towel (Baghdatis, Monfils), however, against Fish that tactics didn’t work – admittedly Murray saved a double break point in the opening game of the decider in a good style, regained his confidence, but the American [36] was comfortably holding (excluding a four-deuce game to level at 2-all) until the deciding tie-break in which Murray led *4:2 when Fish hit the baseline (actually the ball was long, Murray should have led 5:2, he didn’t challenge though) during a rally to finish the point with a gentle BH-volley. Also with the BH-volley help Fish got another vital point at 5-all, and converted his first match point with a service winner. He celebrated that second longest “2-1” win of his career on the knees.

   Serve & volley: Fish 3/5, Murray 1/1

   # Comparison of their three matches with deciding sets:
   Indianapolis 2005 (2R): Fish d. Murray 6-4, 4-6, 6-4… 2 hours 11 minutes… Total points: 89-92… 2 games away (Murray led 3:1* in both sets he lost)
   Queens Club 2010 (3R): Fish d. Murray 6-4, 1-6, 7-6… 1 hour 36 minutes… Total points: 80-77… 5 pts away
   Cincinnati 2010 (QF): Fish d. Murray 6-7, 6-1, 7-6… 2 hours 56 minutes… Total points: 118-110… 2 pts away

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