Friday 29 January 2016

Murray in five over Raonic

Second seed Andy Murray had played well all tournament to reach this semi final and Milos Raonic had been the breath of fresh air that men's tennis needs, beating Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round en route to tonight's clash with Murray.  The winner would be decided largely on which weapon prevailed - the huge Raonic serve or the renowned Murray return.  I believe that Raonic had done enough to upset Murray and present something different for Djokovic to face in The final.

Murray served first.  Raonic drew first blood with a forehand crosscourt winner and then a forehand volley winner. 0-30.  Double fault and three break points.  Backhand winner and break straight away for the 13th seed.  1-0 Raonic.  Forehand wide by Raonic 0-15.  Another even wider 0-30.  Missed all three first serves and the off forehand was wide.  Three break points.  The first saved with big serve.  The second saved with a forehand winner.  Deuce with another big serve.  Forehand winner and game point.  Serve volley winner and Raonic led 2-0.

Backhand wide from Raonic and Murray had 30-0.  An ace and 40-15.  A netted return and Murray was on the board but behind 1-2.  Raonic smashed an attempted lob for 15-0. A backhand volley for 30-0.  A backhand forced a Murray error and 40-0.  A netted forehand from Raonic 40-15.  Ace sealed the game and Raonic led 3-1.

Raonic backhand  hit the net 15-0.  Murray ace for 30-0. 40-0 with another netted backhand from Raonic. Sensational running backhand winner down the line from Murray and he trailed 2-3.  Forehand winner from Raonic and he led 15-0.   Big serve and 30-0.  Another and the return way out 40-0.  Game easily to Raonic 4-2.

Backhand long from Raonic and Murray had 15-0 Murray hit a backhand long as well and 15-15.  Netted forehand from Raonic 30-15.  Forehand forcing Murray error 30-30.  And again for break point. Great forehand winner from Murray and deuce.  Fine serving from Murray to dig himself out of deeper trouble and be 3-4 but still down a break.

Ace from Raonic for 15-0. Forehand wide and 15-15.  Body serve and 30-15. Forehand netted by Raonic 30-30.  Return long by Murray 40-30.  Serve volley success and 5-3 Raonic.  Murray served to stay in the set and was 30-0.  A forehand pushed wide and 30-15.  A drop shot surprised Raonic and gave Murray game points.  He held, Raonic led 5-4 and would serve for the first set.

Ace for 15-0.  An attempted drop shot by Murray failed and 30-0.  Double fault and 30-15.  Huge serve to the body produced a long return and two set points, one saved with an errant backhand from the Canadian.  An ace clinched the first set for Raonic 6-4.

Murray pushed a forehand wide and lost the first point on his serve before Raonic netted a backhand.  15-15 in the opening of set two. An ace for 40-15 and serve held well, Murray leading 1-0.  Raonic was 15-0 after a big serve.  An ace for 30-0. Backhand netted and 30-15.  Repeat for 30-30. Great return and Raonic's forehand went wide for break point.  A forehand winner from Canada saved it. A superb Raonic backhand volley won a great rally and he survived for 1-1.  

Murray backhand winner and 15-0.  A drop shot from Scotland was reached by Raonic and he hit a winner for 30-15.  Murray held serve and led 2-1.  A Murray netted backhand and 15-15 on Raonic's serve.  Ace for 30-15.  Service winner and 40-15.  Smart volleying and serve held for 2-2.  

Murray served and a double fault didn't help 0-15.  A Raonic backhand was wide and 15-15.  A beautiful backhand winner down the line by the second seed gave him 30-15. Another Murray backhand was pushed wide for 40-30 but he held for 3-2. Forehand volley by Raonic for 15-0.  Volley error and 15-15.  Forehand winner behind huge serve and 30-15.  Murray did well to pressure Raonic into error and 30-30. Another poor backhand wide from Raonic and break point.  Saved with Murray finding the net.  Fine overhead winner by Raonic and game point. Double fault and deuce.  Murray hit a forehand long and then a great volley from Raonic sealed the game and 3-3.

Two big serves from Murray and he led 30-0.  He held to love and moved ahead 4-3.  Return by Murray netted and 15-0.  Another shot long for 30-0.  A top lob winner from Murray and 30-15.  Raonic levelled easily 4-4.

A great forehand crosscourt from Raonic drew the error and 0-15 on the Murray serve.  A backhand from Murray went wide and 15-30.  A fine forehand crosscourt winner by Murray and 30-30. Poor backhand into the net by Raonic and game point. Murray held and led 5-4.  Raonic messed up a half volley and it was 15-15.  A wide backhand from Raonic and at 15-30 he was under pressure.  A calm volley winner and 30-30.  An outstanding rally concluded by an off forehand of the highest quality from Raonic and it was game point.  Saved with a Canadian forehand mistake.  A super backhand volley winner and another game point to Raonic.  Serve held for 5-5.

Wonderful tennis at the net and Murray won out to lead 15-0.  40-0 with a Raonic backhand miss.  Love game and Murray led 6-5, a tie break likely.  A forehand winner and Raonic led 15-0.  A brutal forehand and Murray couldn't control his shot 30-15.  Double fault and 30-30.  A Murray forehand rifled crosscourt gave him set point.  A quality return pressed Raonic into finding the net after a serve volley attempt, and out of nowhere the set was Murray's 7-5.  One set apiece.

Murray with the momentum served first and a backhand volley winner gave him 40-0.  The love game put him in the early lead 1-0.  Murray found the net and Raonic had 15-0. An ace and 40-0.  Another love game and 1-1.  Murray was now serving well and hardly having any trouble holding at all.  He led 2-1 with the third love game in succession. 

30-0 after a strong Raonic forehand. Serve held and four games without a point against serve.  2-2.   Yet again no way a point was looking like being won by receiver and Murray was ahead 3-2.  Twenty points in a row with the serve.

Raonic 15-15.  Forehand put away by Raonic and 30-15.  Ace and 40-15.  Another ace and 3-3.  Murray lost the first point on his serve.  Raonic hit a poor return and it was 15-15.  Ace from Murray 30-15.  A second overhead required by Raonic and 30-30. Forehand uncontrolled return and game point. Murray ahead 4-3.

Ace from Raonic 30-0.  Forehand winner 40-0.  Love game and 4-4.  Terrific point from Raonic and Murray trailed on serve 0-15.  0-30 after Murray netted.  Serve helped draw an error and 15-30.  A forehand was angled nicely by Murray and he had 30-30. A netted backhand by Raonic let Murray off the hook.  A reflex volley for the game and Murray led 5-4.

Raonic raced through his service game to level at 5-5.  A forehand crosscourt by Raonic forced a Murray error and 0-15. A netted forehand by Murray and 0-30.  A second serve ace incredibly and 15-30. A wicked drop shot and 30-30.  A great serve and 40-30.  Deuce following another net experience for Murray.  Murray missed badly wide and break point for Raonic. Saved with Raonic's backhand finding the net.  A great Murray forehand crosscourt winner and game point. Serve held and 6-5 Murray.

Double fault and 0-15.  Murray missed wide and 15-15.  A Raonic backhand shocker and 15-30.  Murray forehand out and 30-30.  Game point after a wide Murray backhand. Raonic sealed the game with a backhand winner clubbed down the line. 6-6.

Tie break.  A super return from Raonic and forcing a Murray error 1-0 Raonic with a break.  Volley error and 1-1 back on serve.  Forehand slashing return winner from Raonic and 3-1 with break again.  4-2 Raonic at end change and a serve to come.  5-2 with Raonic overhead on the line.  Ace from Murray 3-5.  Errant return and 5-4 to Raonic with two serves to come.  Netted backhand from Murray and 6-4 with two set points.  An ace delivered the set to Raonic.  7-6 and 7 points to 4 in the tie break

Raonic led two sets to one.

Raonic served first in set four.  30-0. Superb forehand volley and 40-0. Love game and 1-0 Raonic.  Murray served well and he had 40-0.  Serve held and 1-1.  A Murray running backhand pass was not enough to stop the Raonic roll and he led 2-1, the serve rock solid.

A winner from Raonic and Murray down 0-15 but Murray came back strongly to level at 2-2, helped by Canadian unforced errors.  Raonic aced Murray for 30-0.  Perfectly played point finished with a forehand volley and 40-0.  Murray charged the net and forced an error 40-30.  Raonic still held for 3-2.

Murray hit one of the shots of the night with a backhand pass from way out of court for 30-0.  40-0 following one off the frame from Raonic.  Serve held and 3-3.  Deep shot from Murray forced a mistake from Raonic, then an unforced error from the Canadian made it 0-30.  Three break points for Murray with a Raonic wide forehand.  A netted forehand from Raonic and the service break.  Murray ahead with the break 4-3.

A forehand winner from Raonic and Murray had 30-15.  A wild backhand from the same racquet and 40-15.  Murray inexplicably hit a forehand long and 40-30. A backhand from Murray was also poor and deuce arrived.  Break point with Murray's netted forehand.  A great forehand volley saved the break point. Game point after Raonic found the net.  Deuce with a long Murray backhand. Forehand crosscourt winner from Murray and another forehand winner after that for a 5-3 lead.

forehand winner from Raonic gave him 40-15, before a double fault tightened things at 40-30. Deuce came following a loose forehand.  Set point to Murray as a clearly hampered Raonic was seemingly succumbing to an upper leg injury, the running backhand passing shot a beauty nevertheless. Saved with Murray's backhand missing wide.  Ace for game point. Backhand long by Raonic and deuce.  Another ace and game point once more. A brilliant clutch volley was enough to hold serve and force Murray to serve for the set, leading now 5-4.

A stunning forehand crosscourt winner from Raonic and 0-15.  Raonic backhand wide and 15-15.  Murray netted backhand 15-30.  Awesome point by Raonic won ultimately by an overhead and two break points as a result.  One saved by a Murray volley winner.  Deuce with a return into the net.  Good serving by Murray and set point.  Set to Murray 6-4 and two sets all.

Raonic served first in the final set and double faulted on first point.  A netted backhand and he was down 0-30. Forehand winner from the 13th seed helped 15-30.  Netted forehand and two break points for Murray.  Double fault and break of serve.  Murray led 1-0.  Injury was sadly a major factor in changing the course of this match.

Murray up 30-0 with help of net cord.  Easy hold and 2-0 to the second seed.  Raonic suffered yet another net cord against him 0-15.  Sharp volley and 30-15.  40-15 after a marvellous rally.  Backhand error from Raonic and 40-30.  Deuce with long forehand.  Murray's forehand forced error and break point.  Saved with overhead winner.  Backhand wide and another break point.  Double break occurred and Murray led 3-0.  The match was as good as over now with one fully fit player on the court.  A great pity with Raonic so close and having to surrender much of his power due his leg injury.  

Murray consolidated his position easily and led 4-0.  Down again 0-30 this wouldn't last much longer for Raonic.  Two more break points.  One saved.  And the second.  Brave and quality tennis gave Raonic game point a few times and he saved more break points  In spite of the Raonic injury restriction which allowed the Scot that many more options, the Canadian held serve to trail 1-4 and keep Murray on court for some time longer.  Novak would be happy with that as he rested.

Murray served again.  0-15 became 30-15 as Raonic was moved around the court at Murray's wishes.  Game points available and only one needed. 5-1 Murray.

Raonic served again bravely and had 30-0. Murray hit a backhand forcing an error and 30-15.  Game to Raonic for 2-5 forcing Murray to serve for the match.

15-0 with a Raonic error.  Ace for 30-0.  Great volley by Murray for three match points.  Forehand winner for the match.

Andy Murray defeated an unluckily injury affected Milos Raonic 4-6 7-5 6-7 6-4 6-2

Another Aus Open final for the Scot and the for the fourth time of the five attempts at a title it will be against Novak Djokovic.

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