Andy Murray reigns in the desert

ANDY MURRAY underlined his position as clear favourite for the Australian Open by successfully defending his ExxonMobil Qatar Open title in Doha.
The 21-year-old Scot was last night priced at 2/1 by William Hill to collect his first major title at Melbourne Park in three weeks’ time after a straight sets win over American Andy Roddick. Following up his excellent semi-final win over Roger Federer, Murray, inset, powered past another former world No 1 in Roddick, taking just 70 minutes yesterday to register a 6-4 6-2 victory that earned him $183,000, to add to the $250,000 he took in winning last week’s exhibition event in Abu Dhabi.
Such early-season form is vindication for the month of hard physical work Murray and his support team put in at the University of Miami before Christmas. He now heads to Australia in the belief that his preparations for the season’s first grand slam event have been perfect.
Murray will perhaps play one exhibition match at Kooyong this week to aid his acclimatisation. “It is great to start the season with a title. The semi-final and final matches were very good against two top players so I am very pleased,” he said.
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Reacting to the news that British bookmakers had installed him as the man to beat in Melbourne, he said: “I am one of the top guys but I don’t know if I am the favour-ite.
There is Roger, Rafa [Nadal] and Novak [Djokovic], who won there last year. I like playing in Melbourne but I did not play well last time.” A year ago Murray also arrived in Australia with the Qatar title to his name but lost in the opening round to eventual finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. His performance in 2007, when he took Rafael Nadal to five sets in the fourth round, was an early indication of his potential.
“I feel good going into the Australian Open but after what happened last year I don’t want to get too carried away,” he stressed. “Every round will be tough.”
Roddick praised the rival who has now beaten him six times in eight tour encounters. “Andy played great. He is in top form right now. Every time I had a big point, he hit the line. He was just better than me.”
source:the london times