ATP Brisbane: Andy Murray tops James Duckworth for the positive start
A former world no. 1 and the three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray has won just seven matches in 2018, struggling with a hip injury and missing all the action between Wimbledon 2017 and June last year. Overcoming an injury that could have ended his career, Andy is back on the Tour and also on the winning way, defeating James Duckworth 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of Brisbane where he won the title in 2012 and 2013. Murray needed three hours and 18 minutes to dismiss Duckworth at the US Open last summer and he was over the finish line in an hour and 28 minutes today, saving four out of five break points and stealing James' serve three times to secure the place in the second round where he will face the 4th seed Daniil Medvedev, in what should be another great test of his current level and form.
The Briton drew first blood in the sixth game when he broke for a 4-2 lead but he couldn't stay ahead for too long, getting broken at 15 in the very next game after a forehand error that kept Duckworth on the positive side of the scoreboard. The Aussie squandered a 40-15 advantage in the following game after some great defense from Murray who earned a break after an amazing forehand winner far behind the baseline. Serving for the set at 5-3, Andy held at love to grab the opener in 40 minutes, hoping for more of the same in the rest of the encounter.
He saved three break points in the second game of the second set and played well in the remaining service games to keep the pressure on James, wasting a break point in game seven but finding the way to break the rival at love at 4-4, serving for the win in the next game. Duckworth sprayed a forehand error in that last game to hand the win to Andy who was happy with the way he played once the match got developed, especially after such a long break.
First round result:
[PR]Andy Murray (GBR) vs James Duckworth (AUS) 6-3 6-4
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2rY76JU
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