Murray, Radwanska claim China Open titles

Sport360 staff 03:50 10/10/2016
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  • Winning again: Andy Murray.

    Andy Murray claimed the title at the China Open on Sunday, taking a step toward unseating world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, as Agnieszka Radwanska won her second Beijing crown.

    Both romped to victory in straight sets on a chilly night in the Chinese capital, neither of them having dropped a set in the tournament.

    Murray’s 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over unseeded Grigor Dimitrov is his fifth title of the year and 40th of his career, while third-ranked Radwanska sealed her win 6-4, 6-2 over Briton Johanna Konta with an ace.

    The Scot’s victory moves him within 1,555 points of Djokovic in the ATP Race to London, with the chance of taking the top spot by year-end.

    “It was really cold tonight. When we came off the court, we checked, and it said it was six degrees. You wouldn’t have played in many colder temperatures than that,” said Murray. “So when the court’s that cold, the court surface, the ball bounces much lower, and the balls don’t heat up, so they feel almost flat at times. It wasn’t easy.

    “But the level of tennis I think, in my opinion, was much better than the match we played a few weeks ago at the US Open. It was probably my best match of the week, I think.”

    Murray broke Dimitrov’s serve in the opening game of the match, putting the Bulgarian on the defensive as he made 21 unforced errors in the opening set.

    In the second, both held their serve through the first four games until Murray broke Dimitrov at 3-2. It looked like the Scot would serve for the championship but Dimitrov – who beat Rafael Nadal en route to the final – won the next 11 points, breaking Murray to love.

    Pushed to a tiebreak, the three-time grand slam champion immediately seized back control, storming through the decider to claim his first title in Beijing.

    Dimitrov had received a free pass through the semi-finals after Canadian Milos Raonic pulled out with an ankle injury, but was left overwhelmed by the Scot.

    “I just didn’t feel that I had another gear,” Dimitrov said after the match. “Andy’s fighting pretty much every single point.”

    Radwanska’s victory was the 20th of her career and she has now won her last six consecutive finals.

    “Experience, it’s a lot. I mean, it’s one of the most important thing going to the final. I remember my first final. A lot of nerves. I was really stressed,” said Radwanska. “But I think when you played a couple of big ones, you go for the final like a normal match. I think this kind of feeling, it’s just helping you.

    “I was relaxed pretty much from the beginning. I didn’t really feel any pressure. That’s why I could win that match in two sets.”

    There was more on the line for Konta, 25, who was making a bid in the Chinese capital for what would have been her biggest title to date.

    Konta is also still chasing a place in her maiden WTA Finals, where Radwanska is the defending champion and has already qualified. The top eight players in the Road to Singapore leaderboard make it to the event.

    Konta is currently in at No. 8 but could be nudged out by Dominika Cibulkova, who is just 10 points behind her.

    Konta is playing in Hong Kong next week, while Cibulkova, Garbine Muguruza and Madison Keys are playing in Linz, as they all hope to secure one of the last remaining three available qualification spots.

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