ANDY’S LOST IN BLUNDERLAND
Mistakes cost Brit dear as he exits
Andy Murray was left shattered when his US Open hopes died with his proud fiveset record last night, ousted by the courage and skill of Japan’s Kei nishikori. Tired and tetchy at times, Murray was upset 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 by the number six seed in a four hour epic.
nishikori squeezed out a reflex volley to break for 6-5 in the decider and served it out to make this the first Grand Slam of 2016 that will not feature the 29 year-old Scot in the final.
Murray had been left fuming early in the fourth set, when he had control at break point in a rally but umpire Marika Cicak called a let due to a loud clang that appeared related to the roof ’ s airconditioning system. It was one of numerous turning points.
He had won 16 out of his last 18 matches that had gone to five sets, with the only two defeats in that sequence being against novak djokovic.
But this being the end of a very long summer campaign that included the Olympics always made him more vulnerable, especially against 2014 finalist nishikori in the inspired form he showed from the middle of the second set.
While Ivan Lendl sat in his customary emotionless state, the rest of the Murray team did their best cheerleading act as he tried to rebound from the early break down in the decider.
This was Murray’s first defeat with Lendl in attendance since their reunion.
Just when it looked like Murray was getting back into the decider from 0-2, nishikori — his forehand lethal at times, wayward at others — found his range again.
He broke for 3-2 only for the world number two’s bloody minded determination to kick in at 2-4 0-40 and level, despite nishikori constantly pressuring his second serve.
The Japanese now meets the winner of the last quarter final, between number three seed Stan Wawrinka and the resurgent Juan Martin del Potro.
They were last night trying to end the run of dismally one- sided matches played at night on the Arthur Ashe Stadium so far this fortnight.
Murray walked on within minutes of his brother Jamie having won his men’s doubles last eight match, although one person who was not there to see both brothers into the semi- finals was mother Judy. Instead, she was spending a second day at the public inquiry being held in Scotland into her plans to build a golf and tennis centre outside dunblane.
There was no sign of the tension to come in the first set.
It could hardly have been more straightforward once Murray had saved three break points in the opening game. He made only four unforced errors while the Japanese player was spraying the ball all over the court.
It threatened to turn into a similar rout to that produced by the Scot against Grigor dimitrov when Murray broke for 3-2 in the second set, only for nishikori to intelligently change his game to disrupt the Scot’s serene progress.
The world number seven began to approach the net far more and to pull the dropshot out of his locker, which he uses with impeccable disguise.
That change of tactics brought the immediate dividend of a break back and the sense of change was added to in the next game by the roof being closed after a brief shower. The Arthur Ashe crowd, which has been fairly starved of competitive matches, warmed to the idea of a close contest.
nishikori came alive after the 15minute hiatus, during which both players were able to speak to their coaches.
The picture was further complicated by the pair having their rackets restrung, with the tension of the strings proving a perplexing matter for numerous players when the atmosphere changes and the stadium enclosed.
Murray had also previously mentioned that the loud hum of the crowd in such an environment makes it difficult to hear the ball off the racket, an aid for players in judging speed and spin.
He was struggling to keep a lid on his frustration, and a striking facet was how often nishikori was winning any rally that extended beyond nine strokes.
The tug of war continued with Murray breaking for 4-3, then dropping his serve and then breaking again for 5-4, with the decisive hold only coming when he needed to close out the set. The rout Murray produced when they met in the Olympics this was not.
The umpiring controversy came when he had a break point in the first game of the third set. Murray was in charge of the point at 30-40
when the umpire called a let, having allowed played to continue during crowd noise in the first set.
His argument with Referee Wayne Mcewen at the changeover at 1-2 seemed to disrupt him and he was broken in the next game, leading to the decider and eventual defeat.
Jo Wilfried tsonga pulled out of his quarter final with Djokovic, meaning that the Serb went through to the last four having played a mere six hours and 26 minutes to get there.
From the limited evidence available it seems that Djokovic is back in excellent form. Kyle edmund found that out.
JAMIE Murray and Brazilian Bruno Soares came through a tough US Open quarter-final to reach their second Grand Slam semi-final together.
Fourth seeds Murray and Soares were pushed hard by the unseeded but experienced pair of Australian Chris Guccione and Brazil’s Andre Sa before prevailing 7-6, 2-6, 6-3.
Murray and Soares play top-seeded Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the last four as they bid for a second Grand Slam title after winning this year’s opener the Australian Open.