Andy Murray

Murray Too Much For Nadal

Heads up world! This Andy Murray is for real. In the day’s most intriguing quarterfinal pairing, Andy Murray graduated from perennial choker to proven superstar. The quiet Scotsman dominated play and moved on to the semifinals as the only player to have not lost a set.

Murray is more composed than ever. His shotmaking skills surpassed the dazzling Spaniard in the 6-3, 7-6 (3), 3-0 match. Nadal was forced to retire with a knee injury in the third, but there was no doubt as to the outcome. In this outing, Murray stared his old nemeses, adversity, in the face and fired back.

The match featured spectacular rallies, bold service games and extraordinary baseline play. Murray has displayed an endless array of shot-making skills throughout the tournament but on this day it was his stinging backhand that made the difference.

Every time Nadal had an opportunity to crack serve, Murray came through with a blistering serve. The winner converted 77% of his successful first serves into winners. He also won 79% of his net approaches, a new dimension to his game.

Perhaps the turning point of the match was in game 11 of the second set when Nadal withstood four break points and then came out firing in the 12th game. At 5-6, Murray chased down two steaming drives by the Spaniard to hold serve. In the tiebreaker, the Scot jumped ahead 5-1 and never looked back. Nadal seemed to fall back after the tiebreaker loss. Realizing he could not win the match, he retired to preserve his troubled right knee. Nadal was extremely apologetic after the match and raised Murray’s play.

For the fifth seeded Murray, his game is in peak form. He is rested and fresh and playing like a tournament favorite. At his current level, he looks ready to claim his first Grand Slam and restore to England a degree of tennis pride.

Cilic Outlasts Roddick

Andy Roddcik solidified his reputation as warrior supreme with a heroic come-from-behind effort that came up just short against battle-tested Croatian Marin Cilic. The five set 7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3 four hour forty minute battle had everything that makes tennis the emotional roller coaster that it is.

Roddick’s serve seemed powerless while Cilic looked invincible in the first two sets. Yet, the American used his newfound slice backhand and some gutsy baseline play to hang in both sets. Despite taking the first set to tiebreaker, the famous Roddick serve, his biggest weapon, was not available.

When Roddick received treatment for his ailing shoulder, Cilic seemed to lose focus. Roddick changed his style reverting to his go-for-broke game. The strategy worked. Unable to use topspin, his flat shots caught Cilic off guard and paved the way to victories in sets three and four.

At the end of the fourth set, Rddick seemed to have the momentum. Cilic, who won his third five set match of the tournament, was wavering. Once he put Roddick’s playing status aside, Cilic took control of the match. Without his big serve, Roddick turned over game four to go down 3-1, a lead he could not overcome.

Roddick later reported that he had no feeling down his right arm and in his fingers. However, this may have inspired his high-risk taking, a strategy that was effective. This was a good win for Cilic and a hard loss for the feisty 35-event Grand Slam participant.

Henin Outworks Petrova

Henin Outworks Petrova

It wasn’t always pretty and in some spots it was downright ugly, but Belgium’s Justine Henin is moving on. The 5’6” Belgian covered the court with flair and came through on big points to down Russian giant-killer Nadia Petrova 7-6 (3), 7-5.

The match featured 9 service breaks. Henin only managed to land 45% of her first serves, a statistic that hardly seems championship quality. Once again, her consistent all-court game carried her to victory and into the semifinals.

At the outset, Henin controlled the match. When she broke to go up 4-2, Petrova looked frustrated and unnerved. Petrova’s temperament has long been regarded her biggest detriment. When the going gets tough, Nadia tends to go the other way.

On this day, Petrova pulled herself together as both players struggled to hold serve. After a series of breaks, the first set headed to the tiebreaker. Henin had the big Russian lumbering from side to side. Petrova committed two early errors to seal her fate.

After the set, Petrova used her big serve to seize the momentum. She broke the Belgian twice surrounding a strong hold to take a commanding 3-0 lead with serve. Was Henin prepping for a third set?

The unseeded seven time Grand Slam Champion landed a key break in game four to reverse momentum and pave the way to a four-game run. Despite break opportunities, both players held serve to arrive with Henin up 6-5 on Petrova’s serve.

With the match on the line, Petrova contributed two more of her 41 unforced errors to give Henin the game and set. Henin’s ability to win the long rallies set her apart. Petrova struggled to get clean looks at the Belgian’s stinging backhand.

The win was Henin’s 13th against Petrova. Having played 15 times, the two combatants have a history. With her Australian Open performance, the Russian looks to be moving up in the rankings. And maybe, just maybe, Justine Henin will be seeded at the French Open, where she has won 4 times.

Zheng Crushes Cinderella

Russian pretty-girl Maria Kirilenko’s day will, come, but not at this year’s Australian Open. With victories over fellow Russians, Sharapova and Safina, Kirilenko joins the stalwart stable of ranked Russian women.

However, it was China’s Jie Zheng who elevated her game and eliminated the last Russian contender with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 quarterfinal win. The unseeded Zheng, a highly regarded doubles player, will square off with Justine Henin in a semifinal battle of unseeded upstarts. It will be the only match in which Henin will have had a slight height advantage. Zheng stands at 5’5”, with Henin at 5’6”.

Zheng stood tall against Kirilenko in the lightweight bottom bracket. Having struggled against Alona Bondarenko in round 4, Zheng showed more agility and struck cleaner blows than her heavily-taped counterpart. Zheng sealed a break in game four and the Russian hit a wayward forehand in game six to erase any doubt about the first set.

Zheng’s court coverage seemed to unnerve Maria, who had grown accustomed to opponents making many unforced errors. Kirilenko was clearly uncomfortable with the length of the points.

The key game in the second set was game 6 when Kirilenko earned four break points but could not convert. Zheng apllied more pressure in the final game earning two match points before Maria committed her third double fault.

As two of the game’s best retrievers, Zheng and Henin should have a good go at it in the semis. If Zheng wins, she could conceivably join compatriot Na Li in the finals. Nobody saw that coming!