Andy Murray’s Doha dream is over. The Scot was eliminated on Wednesday in the round of 16 after losing 7-6, 6-7, 7-6 to young Czech Jakub Mensik, the executioner of Alejandro Davidovich, in an epic battle that lasted nearly three and half an hour.
The match started evenly, with both players holding their serve firmly until the Czech earned a break that put the first set in the balance. However, the former world number 1 is not willing to give up. and, going epic, recovered the break to take the set to a tiebreaker.
There he was able to impose his greatest experience until the final stages, when a glaring error on a simple volley with set point in her favor cost her the tiebreakto the disappointment of a crowd that mostly supported the Scotsman.
The second set maintained the great parity of the first, although this time the firmness of both on serve meant there were not even break chances until the eleventh game, when Murray missed what would have been a golden opportunity to balance the match.
That was not to be and everything was again decided in a tiebreak where, this time, the two-time Olympic champion gave no options. The initial 4-0 made it clear that the Scot would send the match to the third set, something he finally achieved 7-3.
The third set showed again that Andy Murray is made of different stuff. After a terrible start in which he seemed to disappear from the court, at the mercy of a very inspired Mensik, the Scot found himself 5-1 down which seemed certain.
Big mistake. At that moment the caste and honor of the former number 1 reappearedwho brought out their best weapons to turn the score around and go up 6-5.
Mensuk knows how to stop the bleeding in time and managed to force a third tiebreak of the matchwhich resolved in their favor 7-4 after showing more poise in the decisive points.
An ovation for the Czech, although nothing compared to the one received by Murray, who is a true idol in these lands.
In other matches of the day, Karen Khachanov beat Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 7-5 and they will meet in the quarterfinals with Finnish Emil Ruusuvuori, who eliminated Australian Chris O’Connell in doubles 6-3.
Also fighting for a place in the semifinals will be fourth seed Alexander Bublik, who will have to work hard to come back from his match against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics (2-6, 6-3, 6-4).
Source: La Verdad
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