Murray starts new year with simple 25th straight victory
ANDY Murray began this year where he left off last year, beating Jeremy Chardy in straight sets in his season opener in Qatar on Tuesday to register his 25th consecutive victory.
The world No 1 secured a 6-0 7-6 (7/2) first-round victory, breezing through the first set in just 20 minutes before the Frenchman improved in the second.
“From my side, I felt like I hit the ball very clean,” Murray said.
“I wasn’t mis-hitting many balls, moved pretty good and served well, especially in the tiebreak. “For a first match it was good for sure.” The last time Murray was beaten was in September by Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in the Davis Cup.
His last tournament defeat came earlier in the same month to Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
During his stunning end to 2016, the Briton not only remained unbeaten but won five consecutive titles and snatched the world’s top spot from Novak Djokovic.
Despite extending his wins, Murray said the victory in Doha felt like starting afresh.
He said he had made subtle adjustments to his game which helped put together his impressive run. “Last year, the difference I made in the second serve, the improvements I made in the second serve, I won like three more points on my second serve.
“[That] doesn’t sound like a lot, but over the course of a year it’s a big difference.”
Murray is the No 1 seed in Doha and defending Qatar Open champion Djokovic is No 2.
If matches go to form, the top two players in the world will meet in a mouth-watering final on Saturday.
Murray will play Austria’s Gerald Melzer in the next round, while Djokovic will meet Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos.
Also through on Tuesday was No 3 seed Tomas Berdych after the Czech star beat Italy’s Alessandro Giannessi 7-6 (7/1) 6-2.
He faces Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber in round two.
Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov 6-1 4-6 6-2 to set up potentially the best match in the next round, against Germany’s Dustin Brown.
“I played pretty good in the first set, then I was waiting a little bit more in the second for the good shot,” Tsonga said. “It was a good match. Good to win.” Among those watching in the crowd in the Qatari capital were French football club Paris Saint-Germain president and Qatar Tennis Federation president Nasser AlKhelaifi. – AFP