HUMILIATION!
Murray sent packing in 6-0, 6-1 loss to Federer
First came the extravagant build- up, then came the brutal dismantling of Andy Murray by roger Federer that ended the scot’s season in just 24 minutes. After the pumping music and light show which greeted them at the O2 Arena in London last night, it took under half an hour for the masterful swiss to win the first six games without reply, meaning that Britain’s former Wimbledon champion has a free weekend with much to think about.
then came the bemused murmurings as Murray stared at the dreaded double bagel, what would have been hi s first wipeout since playing someone called Jan Masik at an obscure tournament in Gran Canaria when he was 16.
Fortunately, after 52 minutes and to great acclaim, he spared himself that humiliation at the hands of a rampant opponent, who wrapped it up 6-0, 6-1 four minutes later. Murray said afterwards: ‘i’m not going to try and forget it, i’ve got to use it as motivation for the off-season.
‘that was a tough night, i’m very disappointed but he played exceptionally well and even if i had played better he probably would have won.’
Needing to win in straight sets to make the semi-finals, it quickly became more a question of whether Murray could win a game against a player who he had been tied with at 11-11 in previous career meetings.
What transpired was his first 0-6 set since the summer of 2010 and, for all the ageless brilliance of Federer that was on display, this was painful to watch.
Nobody could have foreseen the scale of the defeat, even after a week that has been marked by a procession of one- sided contests. At 33 nothing appears to have softened Federer’s desire to inflict beatings on his fellow professionals, and Murray looked as bemused as the crowd.
it was a valiant effort to make these Barclays AtP World tour Finals from his post- Us Open position, but an often difficult year was to end in embarrassment for the 27-year- old scot. He may not be sorry to see the back of 2014, but the question from this particular match is how much scar tissue it will leave for next year.
this week’s round-robin format is very unusual in tennis. it is not unlike a golf major, which they say cannot be won on the opening day but can be lost.
the home player had always left himself the most severe task after he suffered that lacklustre 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Kei Nishikori last sunday, although that was never the chasing this turned out to be.
there is no such thing as home advantage when playing Federer in London and, not unexpectedly, the clapometer registered at least as loudly for the swiss as it did for Murray when they made their customary rockstar entrances.
Jose Mourinho was among those in the house to see the player of the millennium at the former Millennium Dome, and it was not long before Federer was effectively sealing Murray’s fate.
the British player actually started brightly enough and got his opponent to 0-30 against his serve in the opening game, but thereafter he was powerless to resist the net rushes of the great swiss.
these were backed up by piercing groundstrokes and Murray was powerless to respond once he had let his first service game slip. An air of panic seemed to set in as Murray conceded fourteen straight points, with his forehand going totally awry.
there was a sense of relief when the home player stemmed that flow at 0-5 in the s econd s et, but Federer r emained relentless.
the swiss will be joined in the semi-finals by Nishikori. Yesterday afternoon the Japanese world No 5 defeated on-site alternate David Ferrer 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 after the spaniard replaced the injured Milos raonic.
since the Us Open Murray has begun to beat top-10 players again but his fellow members of what, for a time, was universally recognisable as the Big Four had an aggregate record of 8-0 against him in 2014. its extension to 9-0 was especially chastening.
Federer has probably succeeded in avoiding Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, and will likely play him in sunday’s climax.
As for Murray there is much to ponder ahead of 2015, namely how to bridge the large gulf that exists between himself and the very top players.