Shanghai – final

(2)Andy Murray d. (3)David Ferrer               7-5, 6-4        [1:45 h]

Ferrer in his fourth big final, for the fourth time couldn’t even win a set. He led 5:4 in the 1st set, but Murray held his serve to ’15’ and broke in the following game winning four points in a row from 0/30 (four consecutive errors by ‘Pics’). In the 2nd set Murray early on established his supremacy (breaks in the first three games) and finished the match from 15/30 with two service winners and forehand winner on the line directly after a good 1st serve. “It’s been one of the best runs of my life,” said Murray. “I’ve played very, very well the last few weeks. I was very nervous today because I wanted to win here and defend my title. I’m very happy to come through. Ferrer’s one of the toughest players on the tour and one of the best people; it’s a pleasure to share the court with him. I love playing here; it’s one of my favourite places to play.” Stats of the final
It’s a new peak for him – for the first time in career he has won three tournaments in a row, it means the longest winning streak (15; 19 including doubles) and advances to No. 3 in the world. Admittedly he was No. 2 once, but never finished a season higher than No. 4; with his current form a new highest ranking at the end of the year is very probable, especially that Federer rests and his amazing performance in his last three events (Basel, Paris, London) is doubtful. Murray has now won 21 titles, and repeated his feat from the previous three seasons, collecting two ‘Masters 1000’ shields within a year #. I hope to see the Djokovic-Murray clash in Paris or London – that match would be an answer to a question “Is Murray good enough to dethrone Djokovic next year?”.

Doubles final:
(2)M.Mirnyi/D.Nestor d. (3)M.Llodra/N.Zimonjic 3-6, 6-1, [12-10] – 2 m.p.

# Murray’s ‘Masters 1000’ triumphs year by year:

2008 – Cincinnati, Madrid
2009 – Miami, Montreal
2010 – Toronto, Shanghai
2011 – Cincinnati, Shanghai