It was only a Masters 1000 tournament, but Andy Murray nearly choked up on the mic after beating Roger Federer for the first time in a final. When he wins a Grand Slam expect floods of tears. With the win he joined five others who had beaten both Federer and Nadal in the same tournament, while also being the first player since Andre Agassi to win the Rogers Cup twice in a row. Ominously enough, Del Potro beat both Nadal and Federer to take the 2009 U.S. Open title, stunning the tennis world this time last year. This may finally be Murray's moment, six years after he captured the Junior title.
Murray may have hit a wall in failing to win a grand slam, but his play has never encountered similar problems. Year on year he gets better, although there has been a general feeling that, when he reaches the big occasions he tightens up and his game suffers. Not this week. Cut loose and free to play his shots on his favourite surface, and not only did he win, but he dropped just one set all week.
The Scot's fear of failure has finally been eclipsed by his desire to win- and the results were devastatingly obvious in Toronto, as Murray blew the competition away with a potent mixture of aggression and precision. Add to this unflappable poise that seemed dented only once all week, in an odd second set against Gael Monfils earlier in the week.
Federer put up stern resistance at the end of the first and second set but Murray recovered after both setbacks, firing two spectacular aces at the end, and saving a break point before the Swiss' forehand cruised long to hand Murray his first title of the year.
Neither Nadal and Federer were at their best, that much was obvious, but the question remains as to whether either will be 100% in time for Flushing Meadows in two weeks time. Federer may still be reeling from the injuries that plagued him at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, while the World Number One, Rafael Nadal seems to have burned himself out again by August. Perhaps they were both conserving energy for the Grand Slam. They will have no chance to rest up as the ATP Tour rolls on to the Cincinnati Masters today.
But there is an added dynamic in Cincinnati as Federer and Nadal are in the same half of the draw for the first time in aeons, with a possible semi-final clash in the offing. The pair have only met four times in a non-final match, with Federer winning a pair of Shangai Masters semi-finals, while Nadal triumphed in the semis of the 2006 French Open and R32 of the 2004 Miami Open.
Nadal-Federer is a thing of the past, Federer-Murray, or perhaps Murray-Federer as we should call it, will be the rivalry to watch. Murray, who has had his doubters, and quite possibly some doubts of his own has sought from day one recognition from one of the greatest players to grace the game of tennis. The 16-time Grand Slam winner was often critical of Murray's negative style, especially after losing to the Brit, but there now seems to be a healthy amount of mutual respect between the two.
Murray has been climbing the man mountain that is Federer, seeming to have conquered it twice, only to be thrown right back down to the base in his two Grand Slam final appearances. As time passes he comes back feistier than ever
Faced with three rain delays in his final match, Murray will hope that the same does not happen at the U.S. Open, as British fans have already seen the elements cost them a grand slam once this decade.
Murray receives a bye in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters, and will play the winner of Jeremy Chardy and Florian Mayer. His quarter of the draw contains Mikhael Youzhny, Fernando Verdasco, Jurgen Meltzer, Mardy Fish and Richard Gasquet. The U.S. Open starts August 30.
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