World No. 1 Andy Murray saved seven match points in a record-equalling second-set tie-break to cruelly deny German Philipp Kohlschreiber’s quest for a 400th match win at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Thursday. Murray won the 31-minute second-set tie-break 20/18 on his eighth set point, eventually taking the match 6-7(4), 7-6(18), 6-1. The second-set marathon equalled five other epic tie-breaks of the same score since tie-break scores were first kept in 1991. Such was the drama that the players forgot to change ends at 15/15, instead changing at 16/16. “It's obviously a special match to win because of how it went,” said Murray. “I'll probably never play another tie-break like that again. I have been playing on the tour...
Fernando Verdasco clinched his first victory over Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals on Thursday. Fourth seed Monfils had won their previous three FedEx ATP Head2Head encounters, but the 33 year old, also a semi-finalist in Doha this season (l. Djokovic), won 81 per cent of first serve points to dictate play. The Spaniard led 6-3, 5-3 before a rain delay on Monfils’ serve. Upon resumption, the World No. 12 broke to level the second set, before Verdasco claimed the last six points to serve out victory at the second attempt and to edge into the final four. “I think I played almost the perfect match. Maybe I could have been a...
Watch highlights of Andy Murray's thrilling win over Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships semi-finals. Watch live tennis at tennistv.com. Photo: Getty Images
