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Resilient Murray beats Del Potro in opener Andy Murray got off to a winning start in the first match of the ATP World Tour finals at the O2 Arena in London. The British number one beat world number five Juan Martin Del Potro for the fifth time in six meetings against the Argentine. Murray looked to be cruising in the first set leading by five games to love before US Open Champion Del Potro began to respond and get his act together. World number four Murray found himself in trouble early on when he was a break point down but responded superbly with an ace before going on to defend a Del Potro smash shot and go one game up. The Argentinean failed to find his feet early on in the set and Murray broke his serve at the first time of asking before defending his own service game and once again breaking Del Potro to lead four games to love. With 30 minutes of the match played, a very sharp-looking Murray found himself five games to the good after an exquisite drop shot followed by a delicious lob, before finishing off with an ace to receive for the first set. Entering the sixth game of the match Del Potro was serving to stay in the set but dug deep to defend two set points and hold on to his service game for the first time in the match. Del Potro, playing for the first time in the World Tour finals, then went up a gear and powered his way through Murray's service game and defended his own to take the set to 5-3 and a comeback appeared very likely. But with the last opportunity for Murray to serve out the set the Scotsman controlled the game to finally clinch the first set 6-3. The second set was somewhat of a role reversal with Del Potro leading by three games to love as he carried the momentum of his mini revival in the first set with him into the second. The quality of tennis seemed to rise in the second set, as did the competitiveness, with more challenges being called and shouts of "come on" ringing from both players. With Murray three games down his next service game was vital and he managed to hold on to it and then went on to break Del Potro's serve after the Argentine missed an easy volley at the net. Trailing by just a game Murray had to hold on to his service game but Del Potro wasn't willing to let his three-game advantage slip completely, relentlessly hitting the ball back at Murray and with a passing winning shot he prevented the Scot from drawing level. The Argentinean was then able to defend his own serve and take a 5-2 lead forcing Murray to win his service game in order to remain in the set - the Scot duly complied. So now it fell to Del Potro to serve out the remainder of the set and take the game into a third and definitive set which he managed at the second time of asking after initially great defensive play by Murray. Entering the third and final set Murray importantly held his serve to win the first game and successfully went on to break Del Potro's service game to take a vital two-love lead. With the momentum with him Murray was able to increase his lead to three games to love and Del Potro was really feeling the force of Murray and the British crowd. But Del Potro didn't give in and responded well, winning back his service game before the unwilling Murray went on to hold his own serve again, intent on not letting the Argentinean back into the match. Both men held their own serves before Del Potro's unforced errors in Murray's service game let the Scot sneak ahead to a 5-2 lead. Del Potro now had to serve to stay in the match and when Murray won the first point of the game and went on to achieve two match points, he looked set to win. Del Potro successfully defended the first with a brilliantly-placed powerful serve which Murray could only just about make contact with. The second however involved a great rally between the pair before Murray ended the contest with a lovely backhand cross-court shot past the helpless Del Potro to win 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.  23 November 2009, 13:00 For top sports discussion and questions and answers visit the Sports Answerbank |
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