Gutsy Andy Murray toughs it out

IF ANDY MURRAY learnt anything through his tempestuous period of tutelage from Brad Gilbert, it was surely the ability to win ugly. Such a requirement was necessary as the Scot got off to a shaky start in a Sony Ericsson Open campaign that he hopes will propel him to a position of third-best player in the world.
Six days after being blown away by a combination of a desert storm and the magnificence of Rafael Nadal on the opposite side of the United States in Indian Wells, Murray again struggled with the elements as he made tough work of acclimatising to the conditions in Miami.
Argentina’s Juan Monaco will never be the most testing of opponents but Murray also had to battle against his own early lethargy before finally getting to grips with the task in hand and winning through 4-6 6-3 6-2.
“I was not at my best at the start and found things difficult to begin with,” said Murray, who admitted he was so fatigued after reaching last week’s final so soon since recovering from a virus that he was forced to take a couple of days away from the practice court.
I found it virtually impossible to serve from one end of the court because of the sun, which made things really tough. Once I got going things became a little better, but it was a very difficult match.”
Temperatures nudging towards the 90-degree mark, humidity in excess of 76% and a fierce overhead sun combined to send Murray scuttling outside his comfort zone but after reverting to his recently abandoned baseball cap he somehow found a way to better his performance of a year ago, when he lost his initial match in the tournament to Croatia’s Mario Ancic.
For much of the time his tennis was not pretty, and unforced errors proliferated in a first set that seemed to suggest he was destined for another early exit. Murray, however, finally hit something approaching his normal rhythm.
More than once rallies in excess of 40 shots tested the determination of both players, but Murray’s superior ability at the net, more consistent serve in the later stages and greater variety saw him through.
Miami Open, tonight, British Eurosport, 10pm
Source:the times