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Best Young Poster On GOT.
Federer 4-6 Murray*
Murray garners a 30-0 lead - another nod to those 17 consecutive points he won in that Olympic final. The Fed responds with a fierce forehand which Murray can only hit half-way up the net. Back comes the Scot. A booming first serve, before Federer hits a return long. That's the opening set. The key? Murray's cross-court game and general aggressive play. Not to mention the Fed's x3 double faults in a row to go 2-4 down.
Federer* 4-5 Murray
Federer racks up another double fault. There's a reason, perhaps. Murray is fizzing his returns with telling effect. Fed ekes out a slender 40-30 lead and manages to see out the game with a mid-court forehand winner. Murray to serve for the set at the changeover.
Federer 3-5 Murray*
Murray musters a 30-15 lead thanks to two serves with as much width as a Michael Phelps butterfly stroke. A 138mph first serve is backed up with another cruncher down the middle.
Federer* 3-4 Murray
Speedy game this one. Federer's focus is back with rhythm and direction. Holds to 30 but he doesn't want too many second serves. Federer points won on it? A meagre 18 per cent.
Federer 2-4 Murray*
Three double faults then a rank forehand off the frame to leave Murray 30-15 to the good. The Scot persists with some cross-court rallying and it pays off in the next point, with Federer on the backfoot and stretching. Murray holds and consolidates the break
Federer* 2-3 Murray
Bereft of action in this one. Mainly due to an outstanding thing: three consecutive double faults from Federer. The last time he did that? Surely when the Swiss great was a wee nipper back in Basle. Extraordinary. Coach Paul Annacone, who looks like he had a few cocktails last night, looks up from his seat, decidedly non-plussed.
MURRAY BREAKS TO LOVE
Federer 2-2 Murray*
Full force, Chuck Norris opening to this semi. A thunderous first serve leaves ample time for Murray to advance to the net and put away an equally forceful volley. Aggression on the menu this Saturday night. A forehand from Fed tells us that we could be in for the longhaul. Then, the best shot of the night: a Federer backhand baseline winner, with that classic one-handed swing to match. Murray holds, though, as Federer attempts a sizzling pass (a hint of Lendl in the venom) with Murray at the net. It goes long.
Federer* 2-1 Murray
Murray attempts to wipe out the threat of his blue-clad opponent's fierce backhand with a couple of devilish forehands, but here we are at deuce. And the Scot keeps hammering away with some deep returns to open up a break. Federer keeps his nerve with a telling serve and then waiting mid-court to send Murray the wrong way. The Scot has another chance for a break but he just holds out. Not a bean between them.
Federer 1-1 Murray*
No, this really is not the recently-concluded World Golf Finals in Turkey. There two are in for the battle. Fed moves to 0-30 with a crunching, deep forehand which has Murray stretching and yelping in his attempted reach. The paid-up Shanghai crowd are already reacting as if we're into the fifth. Murray levels to 30 all but Fed is unrelenting and captialises on his first service break. Cue some harsh words from Murray to himself. FEDERER BREAKS
Federer* 0-1 Murray
The Swiss starts us off. The evening crowd are up for it and both hit timely opening winners. But the Scot steals an early march at 15-30 and there are signs of a few jitters on the world No 1's serve. My, oh my! A stinging backhand surprises Federer to take him to 15-40 and then a tumultuos forehand yields the break. A bouncing, springy Scot!
MURRAY BREAKS
Murray garners a 30-0 lead - another nod to those 17 consecutive points he won in that Olympic final. The Fed responds with a fierce forehand which Murray can only hit half-way up the net. Back comes the Scot. A booming first serve, before Federer hits a return long. That's the opening set. The key? Murray's cross-court game and general aggressive play. Not to mention the Fed's x3 double faults in a row to go 2-4 down.
Federer* 4-5 Murray
Federer racks up another double fault. There's a reason, perhaps. Murray is fizzing his returns with telling effect. Fed ekes out a slender 40-30 lead and manages to see out the game with a mid-court forehand winner. Murray to serve for the set at the changeover.
Federer 3-5 Murray*
Murray musters a 30-15 lead thanks to two serves with as much width as a Michael Phelps butterfly stroke. A 138mph first serve is backed up with another cruncher down the middle.
Federer* 3-4 Murray
Speedy game this one. Federer's focus is back with rhythm and direction. Holds to 30 but he doesn't want too many second serves. Federer points won on it? A meagre 18 per cent.
Federer 2-4 Murray*
Three double faults then a rank forehand off the frame to leave Murray 30-15 to the good. The Scot persists with some cross-court rallying and it pays off in the next point, with Federer on the backfoot and stretching. Murray holds and consolidates the break
Federer* 2-3 Murray
Bereft of action in this one. Mainly due to an outstanding thing: three consecutive double faults from Federer. The last time he did that? Surely when the Swiss great was a wee nipper back in Basle. Extraordinary. Coach Paul Annacone, who looks like he had a few cocktails last night, looks up from his seat, decidedly non-plussed.
MURRAY BREAKS TO LOVE
Federer 2-2 Murray*
Full force, Chuck Norris opening to this semi. A thunderous first serve leaves ample time for Murray to advance to the net and put away an equally forceful volley. Aggression on the menu this Saturday night. A forehand from Fed tells us that we could be in for the longhaul. Then, the best shot of the night: a Federer backhand baseline winner, with that classic one-handed swing to match. Murray holds, though, as Federer attempts a sizzling pass (a hint of Lendl in the venom) with Murray at the net. It goes long.
Federer* 2-1 Murray
Murray attempts to wipe out the threat of his blue-clad opponent's fierce backhand with a couple of devilish forehands, but here we are at deuce. And the Scot keeps hammering away with some deep returns to open up a break. Federer keeps his nerve with a telling serve and then waiting mid-court to send Murray the wrong way. The Scot has another chance for a break but he just holds out. Not a bean between them.
Federer 1-1 Murray*
No, this really is not the recently-concluded World Golf Finals in Turkey. There two are in for the battle. Fed moves to 0-30 with a crunching, deep forehand which has Murray stretching and yelping in his attempted reach. The paid-up Shanghai crowd are already reacting as if we're into the fifth. Murray levels to 30 all but Fed is unrelenting and captialises on his first service break. Cue some harsh words from Murray to himself. FEDERER BREAKS
Federer* 0-1 Murray
The Swiss starts us off. The evening crowd are up for it and both hit timely opening winners. But the Scot steals an early march at 15-30 and there are signs of a few jitters on the world No 1's serve. My, oh my! A stinging backhand surprises Federer to take him to 15-40 and then a tumultuos forehand yields the break. A bouncing, springy Scot!
MURRAY BREAKS
