Murray, Azarenka Collect Sony Ericsson Miami Titles

by Staff | April 5th, 2009, 4:44 pm
  • 22 Comments

Andy Murray one-upped Novak Djokovic in the race to challenge Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on Sunday at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, with the Brit bouncing the Serb 6-2, 7-5 for the title.
ADHEREL
Djokovic appeared nervous as Murray raced out to a 4-0 lead in the first set, but led 4-1 in the second before Murray stormed back for the win. Djokovic made 43 unforced errors to Murray’s 19.

“The match was difficult in this heat,” Murray said. “I lost my rhythm a little in the second set but I was able to finish it anyway.”

Djokovic defeated Federer in the semis, but seemed unable to summon his best consistently against Murray’s large bag of shots.


The result moves the No. 4-ranked Murray to within 170 points of the No. 3 Djokovic entering the claycourt season.

Serena Williams, hampered by an injured left thigh, was upset 6-3, 6-1 in the Saturday women’s final by teen Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.


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22 Comments for Murray, Azarenka Collect Sony Ericsson Miami Titles

zola Says:

Murray was dominant in the first set but Djoko made it a match in the second. When they stood together in the ceremony, you could feel the breeze of change in the men’s tennis.


Colin Says:

Not the best final ever, was it? It’s a cliche, but what you want in a match is both guys playing well at the same time, and that didn’t happen much. Still, Andy won, and as another cliche has it, the score is all that stands in the record books.
It’ll be interesting to see how Murray does on the clay. As he spent some time in his teens in Spain, you’d think he would be good on the red stuff.


jane Says:

zola, this sounds almost poetic “When they stood together in the ceremony, you could feel the breeze of change in the men’s tennis.” But what do you mean? :-) Just curious.


Giner Says:

Colin, Murray didn’t peak until after the clay season, so we’ve yet to see his ‘improved form’ applied to clay.

What was the temperature in Miami today? And I’m not talking about on court temp.

I noticed early in the second set Djoko was struggling with the heat, and called in the trainer but didn’t take a time out. He was down a break 0-1, then went up to 4-1, and almost 5-1 to serve it out. I was sleepy so I took a nap, expecting it to go to a third set, woke up an hour later and it was over in straights. I didn’t expect Murray to claw his way back, but then, I didn’t expect Djokovic who was struggling with the heat to come back so strongly either.

After the first set and 1-0, I was totally expecting Djokovic to be blown away, then Murray started playing crap after Djokovic spoke to the trainer, and Djoko himself didn’t play as tired as he looked. I was even half expecting another retirement at that point. Waited to see if it would happen in the second set, and if Djoko won the second set, then maybe the third set. Turns out Murray also struggled with the heat. Then I just got sleepy.

In the parts that I did see, the quality was quite good. Djokovic has good drop shots, and Murray is a great scrapper. He’s a lot faster than I thought he was.

I’d been waiting a while for these two to play each other and overall it lived up to my expectations. Murray is the defacto #3 player in the world at the moment, and it will probably become official after Rome.


zola Says:

Jane,
it means maybe I can become a poet one day! :) lol!
A year or two ago, most of the master series were Rafa’s and Rogers. If they did not win, it was because they were not in that tournament ( like Paris 2006). But then since 2007 Djoko came in the mix and now both Rafa and Fed are out and we have Andy and Djoko in the final. And I am sure this is just the beginning for Andy.

The men’s top 10 was almost predictable a year or two ago and now it is still predictable but with almost completely new players.


Richard Says:

What a pitiful story! There’s only one sentence about Victoria Azarenka winning the tournament, and it starts with Serena Williams being injured and losing in the semifinals … nothing about the finals match.
THE WILLIAMS SISTERS AREN’T THE ONLY WOMEN IN THE WORLD WHO PLAY TENNIS. THERE’S NO REASON FOR THEM TO DOMINATE COVERAGE OF THE SPORT!


jane Says:

Giner,

Murray did talk about how hot it was also, but at least Djoko admitted he was his own “enemy” today in some ways: I think he’s starting the realize he needs to condition himself better. Here’s one comment from Murray about fitness and long rallies in the heat:

“Just gives you more confidence going into the matches knowing you’re in good shape. I think just mentally it makes a difference. Even if you’re struggling, you know your opponent is going to be feeling the same, as well. Whereas before sometimes you could get tired and look over at the other side and the opponent seems fine. A match like today, there’s obviously points…I mean, it was hot out there. A few long rallies and stuff I would be a little bit out of breath. I could look down the court and see him struggling, as well.””


jane Says:

zola, thanks for your explanation and good luck with your poetry career. lol. Do you really think it’s still predictable? I mean part of me thinks it could have easily been Roddick or Tsonga and Del Potro standing up there. I like all this depth. To me, it definitely makes it harder to predict.


zola Says:

Jane,
Yes, I think the top 10 is almost predicatable but with completely new players. I don’t think we see Nalbandiana, Blake, Ljubicic,…in the top 10 anymore and I think Davydenko will do down the ladder this year. I am not sure about Roddick yet. we have to see how he and others do in the coming months. But now we all expect for Tsonga, del Potro, Simon and verdasco to remain in top 10. I hope Rafa stays No 1 for a bit longer, but 2-3-4 seem very interchangable.

And yes, all this just makes it even more exciting to watch. I blame tennis for the slow economy! who can work with all this exciting tennis?


Kimmi Says:

I enjoy watching Murray and I am glad he is now coming around. The guy is a magician on the court. There was a lot of unbelivable get he made that left Nole smiling, and me going just “wow”

His court coverage is so unreal. Nadal has a good coverage in a more physical way but murray looks like “how did he get that”.

I hope he plays well on clay to make the clay season interesting again.

Will federer recover from this slump…he will have Murray and nadal and everybody else to worry about.

Well done Murray, I truly enjoy watching him


Von Says:

Giner:

“I was sleepy so I took a nap, expecting it to go to a third set, woke up an hour later and it was over in straights.”

This is so strange, the same happenend to me. I fell asleep after I saw the trainer with Djoko taking his blood pressure, and when I woke up, golf was being shown. For a moment I thought I was dreaming. Ha. ha. What’s the saying, great minds think alike …but … Wow.


doobee doug da dinker Says:

Not so fast Von, you said Murray didnt have what it takes to beat the best and he did it again. Now when he wins the French you can be a believer.


Von Says:

doobee whatever:

I’ve ignored you, and I’m going to ignore you always, but just this one time I’ll answer, show where I stated Murray didn’t have what it takes to beat the best. Suddenly, out of the blue you’re now on Murray’s band-waggon not Federer’s? Or is it both. I’ve been supporting Murray long before you made your entrance o n this site, and I’ll continue to support him. it’s the same old thing with you, nothing on the actual match, but who’s better than whom, and then the mud-slinging ensues.

Again, with another new change of name, you’ve become very obvious. Same old nonsense, repeat, repeat, repeat, as if you need to convince yourself, over and over, and over again. Now you can hit back with one of your foul-mouthed statements, but I won’t answer you, which is what you want. From last evening to the present, you’ve mentioned me in your posts approx. 4 times. What’s the matter?

It seems you’re responding in your dreams to something I’ve written on this thread, but show me where — you’re so defunct, and losing it fast. FYI, harassment is a criminal offense.


blob Says:

Any got the links to Murray and Djokovic pressers?


zola Says:

blob

here is the link to all the Miami interviews:

http://www.sonyericssonopen.com/2/en/media/interview.asp


sar Says:

I thought this was interesting.

Q. You are you concerned about your problems with the heat? I mean, it shouldn’t be happening to an athlete like yourself.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I know. That’s just the way it is. I can’t fight it.

What did you do to train in the off-season?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I had — I always like to the mountains for about ten days. I grew up on the mountain, and the air is really good. You get lots of oxygen.
I went for a mountain, and then a couple weeks in Monte-Carlo.
http://www.sonyericssonopen.com/3/en/assets/pdfs/interviews/djokovic040509.pdf


jane Says:

sar, seems a little ironic. Maybe he could fight it by training in Dubai instead of an Austrian mountain, although he answered them pretty pointblank. I thought Novak kind of skirted around those questions about the heat, and his lack of tolerance to it, but then the reporters brought up Samprass, how apparently he used to struggle in the heat (I don’t recall this?) due to his condition, a blood disorder. Novak didn’t really say much, only that he hopes he doesn’t have that. Hmmm…


Von Says:

jane:

I blame Djoko’s coach for not being more forceful and insistent upon him practising in the hot weather instead of taking a mountain retreat in a Swiss Chalet, especially with the AO looming ahead and the US hard-court tournaments which are played in warm weather, but nothing similar to the AO. I’d say get rid of the coach and find a more no-nonsense type coach who is “the boss”. Business and pleasure does not mix.

Pete had a blood condition which a lot of Mediterraneans have – thalassemia, a debilitating form of anaemia but it’s not induced by the heat mainly by physical exhaustion. It’s the reason why Pete did not play a full season, but only played in the required tournaments. Once, in the heat in Australia Pete threw up, but it was because of the sad news regarding his coach Gullickson, who was dying of brain cancer.


jane Says:

Von – good point. I have been having my doubts about Novak’s coach also (I think RG and I expressed something on an earlier thread); I know Novak and Vajda have a close relationship but sometimes that can be a hinderance, as you say. I think someone who can be a little more forceful is needed. I know that Murray has traveled with a trainer (he said in his presser today he’s been doing this since 07!); maybe, if Novak can’t or won’t part ways with his coach, he needs a tougher trainer, someone who can look into whatever is going on and fix it.

Yuck, sounds like Pete had something tough to deal with; was this public knowledge during his career? It’s amazing he accomplished all that he did. Sometimes I wonder what the players are told to keep under wraps, etc.


margot Says:

zola: what a lovely phrase! I personally am hoping for a hurricane.


Von Says:

jane:
Roddick travels with his trainer and has done so for years. It’s a necessity not a luxury or for companionship.

Pete’s condition was public but he never made it as an excuse for anything. He dealt with it privately and he is to be admired. He was/is a great champion, whom I’ve always respected. With the mentality of some of today’s players could you just imagine how some of them would exploit such a condition?


bob22 Says:

Does anyone knew why finals were played at 1pm? Is it because of EUR TV networks who are bringing more cash then domestic?

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