Murray primed for Novak test
ANDY MURRAY could not be better prepared to halt the remarkable run of Novak Djokovic as the two best players in the world lock horns for the 29th time in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters today.
The British No 1 produced one of his best performances of the year to leave world No 5 Tomas Berdych bamboozled with a stunning 6-1, 6-3 victory in 78 minutes yesterday.
Berdych’s coach Dani Vallverdu watched as his former charge Murray completely dismantled the Czech’s game.
Murray will have to reproduce that level and more when he faces world No 1 Djokovic, who has won 15 straight matches and 18 sets in a row.
It said it all yesterday when — in Djokovic’s 7-6, 6-1 victory against Bernard Tomic — the Australian could claim some consolation in becoming the first player to win four games in a set against the Serb since Roger Federer at last month’s US Open final.
Murray said: ‘I have a chance. I’m aware it’s going to be an extremely difficult match. He’s played fantastic the whole year.’
This is the Scot’s sixth semi- final in seven Masters events this year.
The world No 2 said: ‘ To get into the top few players in the world, to get to No 1, you need to have consistency in these events throughout the season. Novak, I think, has only lost five matches the whole year.’
Heather Watson lost the last 11 games in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 defeat by Sam Stosur in the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Open.
Watson, the British No 2 after Johanna Konta’s rapid rise to No 1, made a fine start against the former US Open champion to lead by a set and 3-1, but things went rapidly downhill f rom there.