Murray crashes out in Rome as Federer and Nadal cruise
World number four Andy Murray was the major casualty on the third day
of the ATP Rome claycourt Masters on Wednesday as top two seeds Rafael
Nadal and Roger Federer breezed into the third round.
Qualifier Juan Monaco dumped fourth seed Murray out of the second
round following an epic three-set match that lasted two hours, 40
minutes.
The Argentine clay specialist made a mockery of his number 58 world
ranking to come through 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 against an out-of-sorts Murray,
whose dreadful Rome record continued.
The Scot's only victory in four attempts here came last year when
Juan Del Potro retired with a back injury during the third set of their
first round clash.
Murray was far from disappointed, though, having come into this match
with a career-best 29-3 record with three titles for the season and a
sizzling six titles and 60-8 record since the end of Wimbledon last
year.
"It wasn't my best match but I was still very close to winning," he
said. "This year I've found ways of coming through when I haven't been
playing well. On clay it's something I've got to work on more but I'm
not going to be too disappointed.
"I've had a great eight months and it (losing early) was going to
happen some time."
The fourth seed coasted to the first set as Monaco took his time to
settle but once the Argentine found his range, both players dug into
their trenches and went to war. Monaco admitted he had been slow to get
going.
"At the beginning I think I started very nervous. Then in the second
set I started thinking to be a bit calmer, to start playing slower," he
said.
Murray paid for a pitiful first serve percentage of just 39 percent
in the second set compared with Monaco's impressive 84 percent of first
serves in.
Three successive breaks in the decider allowed Monaco to race to a
4-2 lead but just as he looked to be heading to victory he played a
woeful eighth game and was broken to love.
However, Murray ominously began the 11th game with a double fault and
finished it with a terrible drop shot that left him hopelessly exposed.
Monaco broke and then served out the match to set up a clash with
Croatian Marin Cilic in the next round after the 15th seed disposed of
Belgium's Christophe Rochus in three sets 6-0, 5-7, 6-2.
World number two Federer broke Ivo Karlovic once in each set to
secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory in a non-eventful match that lasted just 1hr
8min.
"I got off to a good start in both sets, which is always good, kind
of comforting against Ivo," said the 13-time Grand Slam winner. "He
found his groove later on, on his serve but I already had the break in
the second, which is perfect.
"It was just important to be really solid on my serve. I had two
close service games in the beginning. From then on, I was pretty much
cruising."
It was a good start for Federer on his least favourite surface as he
chased his first tour title of the year. His 19-5 record in the year to
date is far from the heights he reached in previous seasons but he has
managed at least the semi-finals in four of his five tournaments. ROME,
AFP |