2 Responses to valencia14murray.robredo

1. Voo de Mar says:

   February 26, 2016 at 1:59 pm

   Points won by each set: | 35-40, 42-38, 45-43 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   29 % Murray – 32 of 108
   20 % Robredo – 27 of 135

   “I know it was an incredible match,” said Murray. “The tennis at the end and in the second set was high level. I played well at the right moments.” This is an unbelievable story… Four weeks after defeating Robredo in the Shenzhen final facing five match points, Murray beat the Spaniard again with the same number of match points saved! The Valencia final was even more dramatic because Murray fought off those match points in two different sets # Defeating one player twice from a match point down it’s a rarity, but doing it in two finals it’s something absolutely unique, especially within such a short period of time! Murray [10] led 3:2* (40/30) in the opener when the final turned into a dog-fight. Robredo [21] saved the break point with an 18-stroke rally, and grabbed four successive games that required twelve deuces & Murray’s nine game/break points wasted! The set lasted 57 minutes – the longest ‘6-3’ set I’ve seen indoors… Murray served twice to stay in the match in the 2nd set (held at ‘love’ twice). In the decider Robredo led *4:3 (deuce), then saved a match point at 4:5. How did Murray save ten match points (five on return) against Robredo in two finals?:

   Shenzhen 5-7, 7-6(9), 6-1
   *2:6 in the tie-break: unreturned 2nd serve (BH error), FH-drive volley (10 strokes), FH error (9 strokes), BH winner (5 strokes)
   6:7* in the tie-break: FH winner (6 strokes)
   Valencia 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(8)
   5:6* & 6:7 in the 2nd set tie-break: FH error (11 strokes), ace out-wide
   5:6, 6:7* & 7:8 in the 3rd set tie-break: FH volley (15 strokes), FH error (7 strokes), overhead winner (3 strokes)
   The last rally of the Valencia final was consisted of 26 strokes, Murray ultimately played a BH winner down the line, and he fell down on the court in exhaustion. Robredo was exhausted too, and he showed two middle fingers to Murray at the net…

   Murray’s route to his 31st title:
   1 Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-3
   2 Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-4
   Q Kevin Anderson 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-4
   S David Ferrer 6-4, 7-5
   W Tommy Robredo 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(8) – 5 m.p. [2, 3]

   # ATP finals with match points saved by the winner in two different sets:
   Halle 1995: Marc Rosset d. Michael Stich 3-6, 7-6(11), 7-6(8)… [3 & 4 MPs]… 2:16 hours
   San Jose 2002: Lleyton Hewitt d. Andre Agassi 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4)… [1 & 1 MP]… 2:57 hours
   Valencia 2014: Andy Murray d. Tommy Robredo 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(8)… [2 & 3 MPs]… 3:20 hours
   Dallas 2023: Wu Yibing d. John Isner 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 7-6(12)… [1 & 3 MPs]… 2:58 hours

   

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   January 30, 2025 at 11:14 am

   For many years, Robredo was not only a 5-set specialist, but also a specialist of deciding 3rd set tie-breaks (17:5 record in 2008);
   it ultimately ended in 2014 as he (at the age of 32) was on a five-match losing streak when a deciding 3rd set tie-break required:

   Barcelona ’13: Raonic 7-6, 3-6, 6-7
   Barcelona ’14: Cilic 5-7, 7-6, 6-7
   Beijing ’14: Isner 6-3, 5-7, 6-7
   Shanghai ’14: Kukushkin 6-3, 3-6, 6-7
   Valencia ’14: Murray 6-3, 6-7, 6-7

   Match points wasted against Isner & Murray, two points away against Raonic & Cilic, three points away against Kukushkin

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