Andy Murray Reaches French Open Fourth Round for First Time

Andy Murray reached the last 16 at Roland Garros for the first time as Janko Tipsarevic retired injured after the second set


Andy Murray, now relishing the claycourt challenge, reached the last 16 of the French Open for the first time when Janko Tipsarevic retired with leg injuries after being 7–6, 6–3 down this evening. It was obviously an unsatisfactory end for the Serb, who had led Murray 5–2 in the first set, which he served for three times, but Murray was obviously delighted to conserve energy for Sunday's demanding fourth-round encounter against Croatia's 20-year-old Marin Cilic, the youngest player in the top 20. "He has a big game and is very dangerous," said Murray.

Cilic defeated Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6–1, 7–6, 6–3 for his third successive straight-sets win this week. Murray holds a 2–0 career advantage over the 6ft 6in youngster, though the world No3 may have at the back of his mind that he was beaten here in the semi-finals of the French Open junior tournament in 2005, with Cilic winning the title. Certainly Murray will want to make a better start than he did against Tipsarevic, particularly when serving. "I'd love to go further into the tournament," he said, "and so far it has not been too physically demanding."

Rafael Nadal, attempting to win the title for a record fifth time in succession, had already swept aside Australia's Lleyton Hewitt 6–1, 6–3, 6–1 when Murray stepped on to the Suzanne Lenglen court where he had won his first-round match against Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina. There was still some warmth in the sun, but the wind was tricky, and appeared to be worrying Murray more than the stocky Tipsarevic as this third-round match unfolded.

The Serb may be ranked outside the top 60 but he has the ability to raise his game considerably against the leading players, who are all keen to avoid him in the early rounds. His serve is big, and his forehand incisive, his main failing being between the ears. By his own admission, Tipsarevic finds it difficult to hold his focus and even though the sky was a clear blue, Murray was hoping the Serb's head would be in the clouds.

Initially there was little sign of his intent wandering. He was generally matching Murray in the rallies, and twice broke his serve for what appeared to be a decisive 5–2 lead. It was then that Tipsarevic wavered as Murray applied the pressure. Alex Corretja, twice the French Open runner-up, has been urging Murray to be patient and it was the Serb who had rushes of blood at key moments, selecting quite the wrong shots.

Murray, who had hauled back a 5–1 third-set deficit in his second-round match against Italy's Potito Starace, worked the oracle again, although on this occasion, having leveled at 5–5, he unaccountably dropped his serve for a third time. "What are you doing," he roared as he hit a forehand wide. Answers came there none.

"You just fight," he said. "It's a little easier on clay because the rallies last longer, and I've talked to Alex and Miles [Maclagan] about not panicking."

Tipsarevic could not take advantage and after 67 minutes of tennis that ranged from the sublime to the ordinary, the tie-break began with a Murray ace, and from this secure base he powered on with some ease. His delight was obvious, and increased when Tipsarevic called the trainer after losing his serve for the fourth consecutive time. He was clearly in pain and although Murray was not able to take immediate advantage, losing his own serve again, he began to move his opponent from side to side, and so Tipsarevic unravelled before retiring at the end of the second set.

Cilic, currently ranked a career-high No13, has been marked down as a player of the future for some time and tipped to become the second Croatian to win a slam after Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion, and bane of Tim Henman. He began this year well with titles in Chennai and Zagreb, although since then has struggled to find any consistency, winning well and then losing rather tamely. "He's a very good player going for his shots," said Murray, the inference being that he will attempt to keep him off balance and stretched.

Murray knows he cannot get too far ahead of himself in such situations, although he is obviously only too aware that there is a potential meeting against Nadal in the semi-finals, Murray having beaten the world No1 at that stage at the US Open last year.

Venus Williams, the reigning Wimbledon champion and No3 seed, lost 6–0, 6–4 against the impressive Agnes Szavay of Hungary though such losses at Roland Garros can no longer be considered a shock. This was the fourth time the American has been beaten in the third round here in the last five years.

© Guardian News & Media 2008
Published: 5/29/2009
 
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