“Hopefully I can start a little bit better in that match”.
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“I didn’t see the match, but Nishikori obviously must have played very well”, Murray added. Murray has rarely played his best tennis at this event in recent years, but he responded to the crowd’s support with a performance full of controlled aggression and splendid shot-making. A lot of unforced errors.
“We pushed a lot this week and it’s getting better so I’m happy with my tennis today”.
LONDON For the first time, Stan Wawrinka lost a match at the ATP finals to someone who hasnt been ranked No. 1 in the world. Murray had an incredible 2016 and has capped it off with a number 1 ranking. He averaged almost two unforced errors per game and his often breathtaking one-handed backhand severely misfired: He struck two backhand winners, making 15 unforced errors.
“I haven’t thought about it [becoming world number one] too much”.
“He had some chances as well in the first set and at the beginning of the second but when I had my opportunities I took them and that’s what winning matches does for you”. The fifth seed missed a second serve return long to waste another opportunity, but was not to be denied the first break of the match on the next occasion, dominating the rally closing with a forehand crosscourt victor to take a 3-2 lead. At 15-40 the Croatian saved a first break point with an ace but on the second Murray cracked a thumping forehand victor.
Despite that Murray was playing like the world number one, getting a break in the fifth game, ripping a forehand victor that gives him a 3-2 edge.
Playing his first match as world number one, Murray received a rapturous welcome from the home crowd as he entered the court. Yet although the 32-year-old has never been eliminated in the group stage at the season finale in three previous visits, he arrived at the O2 this year with knee issues that had troubled him for several weeks.
But he can ill afford a repeat of Monday.
The world number five outfoxed Wawrinka with a floated service return which claimed the critical break, and from that moment the three-time grand slam champion unravelled.
“I served well and Bruno cleaned up well at the net, then maybe not quite vice versa, but that’s something to work on for the next match”.
“I will try to keep going to the end”.
Should that happen, Murray and Soares can make absolutely sure of their place in the last four by beating Melo and Dodig in their final group match on Thursday.
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The world number four, standing 1.96 metres tall and weighing in at almost 100kg, moved surprisingly smoothly although he said later that there were still some concerns.
