Andy Murray’s plan to get as many matches as possible under his belt before the Australian Open was derailed yesterday with second round defeats in both singles and doubles in Doha, but the Scot says it was still a good day at the office.
Playing only his second offical match since September following back surgery, Murray was leading Florian Mayer 6-3, 3-0 before the 40th-ranked German launched an impressive fight back to send the No3 seed packing.
The tournament also lost second seed David Ferrer who suffered an upset at the hands of German big hitter Daniel Brands. “It was a good day for me,” insisted Murray, whose next appearance will be an exhibition match in Kooyong before the Australian Open kicks off in 11 days.
“I lost two matches, but it’s good I got through without picking up any injuries or niggles. Just general sort of stiffness and soreness, getting used to the impact again of playing matches on a hardcourt.
“I didn’t have high expectations, because I haven’t obviously played a match for a long time.”
Murray broke in the fifth game and soon led 4-2, which was enough to give hime the set. The Scot broke early in the second set to open up a 3-0 lead but Mayer responded by breaking in the fifth game with a punishing forehand down the line winner that clipped the line.
It was the beginning of the end for Murray as Mayer switched gears and went for an all-out attack, winning eight of the following nine games to take the set and break for a 2-0 lead in the decider.
Murray called the physio as he struggled with his back, which he iced during the changeovers but Mayer was not distracted and he sealed the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 with an overhead smash at the net.
“To be honest, in my mind, the match was finished, 6-3, 3-0, and I just tried to play more aggressive, tried to risk something more,” said Mayer, who next faces Victor Hanescu after the Romanian upset No8 seed Fernando Verdasco.
“I knew before the match if I would have a chance it’s probably today. He didn’t play for a long time. Yesterday it was no match for him (against Qatari wild card Mousa Zayed). Yeah, sure, I took my chance.”
Later in the day, top seed Rafael Nadal escaped the upset train fending off an inspired assault from another German, Tobias Kamke, to advance 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 and setup a quarter-final with Ernests Gulbis.
“Very important win,” said the Spaniard. “I spent a lot of time on court, so that’s important for my preparation, too. I think I played much better than Tuesday. The opponent played great. That’s what I felt. Played very aggressive.”
Nadal, who unofficially began his season in Abu Dhabi, had complained that the courts were too fast there. When the world No1 was told that the courts in Melbourne this year are reportedly quicker than usual, Nadal said with a laugh: “S***.
I thought Craig Tiley (tournament director) was a good friend.” On Gulbis, his quarter-final opponent today, Nadal added: “He’s a player you don’t want to meet, because he hits every ball very hard with a very strong serve, first and second serve.
Then he hit every ball very, very, very fast from the baseline, forehand, backhand, so he’s a difficult player to play against, but I’m going to try.”
