Andy Murray beats Roger Federer to advance to Australian Open final
Friday at the Australian Open, when Andy Murray was finally able to beat Roger Federer in a Grand Slam in a five set match that most won't soon forget. Murray won 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, with the last set being a bit of a letdown after the comeback that Federer mounted in a fourth set that seemed all but over for the four-time Australian Open champion,
IT was some controversy in that 12th game of the fourth set when Federer appeared to glare and say something to Murray when the Scotsman stopped momentarily behind the baseline during the rally.
Murray ignored it after winning the point, but conceded serve in that game and lost the ensuing tiebreaker before regrouping in the fifth set.
While Murray came into the match with a 10-9 career advantage, Murray had never beaten Federer in their three previous meetings at majors - finals at the 2008 U.S. Open, 2010 Australian Open and last year at Wimbledon.
Federer, who had not lost a set through five rounds at Melbourne Park this year, had the first service break - on his fourth break point - to lead 2-1. It came in unusually cool summer conditions in Melbourne - breezy and temperatures of only 16 Celsius (60 Fahrenheit) during most of the match.
The crowd was initially evenly split between Federer and Murray supporters - and at times, they were competing to be heard. At one point in the second set, a group of Murray fans wearing white shirts with blue letters spelling his nickname ''Muzza'' stood to chant Murray's name, while a group of Federer supporters with Swiss flags on their cheeks and shirts chanted Federer's name,
Earlier Friday, top-seeded Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy won the first title of 2013 at Melbourne Park, beating the unseeded Australian pair of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 for the women's doubles championship.Federer was in command of the fourth set, serving at 4-2 after a break of Murray and it seemed a fifth set was inevitable, but at 0-30 Murray fought back and broke Roger.
There were no service breaks or even break-point chances in the second set, resulting in the tiebreaker that Federer dominated early to take a 4-1 lead. But Murray fought back to level at 5-5 before Federer secured a set point with a cross-court return of Murray's smash attempt. The Swiss star clinched the tiebreaker and the 58-minute second set when Murray hit a forehand long on the next point.
Federer outplayed Murray at stages of the match, but the 25-year-old Scotsman appeared to have the legs and stamina over the 31-year-old Federer in the fifth set, including a service break to clinch the tense match.
Friday at the Australian Open, when Andy Murray was finally able to beat Roger Federer in a Grand Slam in a five set match that most won't soon forget. Murray won 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, with the last set being a bit of a letdown after the comeback that Federer mounted in a fourth set that seemed all but over for the four-time Australian Open champion,
IT was some controversy in that 12th game of the fourth set when Federer appeared to glare and say something to Murray when the Scotsman stopped momentarily behind the baseline during the rally.
Murray ignored it after winning the point, but conceded serve in that game and lost the ensuing tiebreaker before regrouping in the fifth set.
While Murray came into the match with a 10-9 career advantage, Murray had never beaten Federer in their three previous meetings at majors - finals at the 2008 U.S. Open, 2010 Australian Open and last year at Wimbledon.
Federer, who had not lost a set through five rounds at Melbourne Park this year, had the first service break - on his fourth break point - to lead 2-1. It came in unusually cool summer conditions in Melbourne - breezy and temperatures of only 16 Celsius (60 Fahrenheit) during most of the match.
The crowd was initially evenly split between Federer and Murray supporters - and at times, they were competing to be heard. At one point in the second set, a group of Murray fans wearing white shirts with blue letters spelling his nickname ''Muzza'' stood to chant Murray's name, while a group of Federer supporters with Swiss flags on their cheeks and shirts chanted Federer's name,
Earlier Friday, top-seeded Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy won the first title of 2013 at Melbourne Park, beating the unseeded Australian pair of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 for the women's doubles championship.Federer was in command of the fourth set, serving at 4-2 after a break of Murray and it seemed a fifth set was inevitable, but at 0-30 Murray fought back and broke Roger.
There were no service breaks or even break-point chances in the second set, resulting in the tiebreaker that Federer dominated early to take a 4-1 lead. But Murray fought back to level at 5-5 before Federer secured a set point with a cross-court return of Murray's smash attempt. The Swiss star clinched the tiebreaker and the 58-minute second set when Murray hit a forehand long on the next point.
Federer outplayed Murray at stages of the match, but the 25-year-old Scotsman appeared to have the legs and stamina over the 31-year-old Federer in the fifth set, including a service break to clinch the tense match.
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