Tennis: 'Amazing' Murray saves five match points to reach Qatar Open final
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Britain's Andy Murray celebrates his win against Czech Republic's Jiri Lehecka.
PHOTO: AFP
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DOHA – Former world No. 1 Andy Murray was at a loss to explain how he saved five match points on Friday to overcome Czech challenger Jiri Lehecka and reach the Qatar Open final.
The 35-year-old launched into a roar of delight after the 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6) triumph that took him into his first ATP Tour final for eight months.
On Saturday, Murray faced Russian world No. 8 Daniil Medvedev, who beat Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) in the second semi-final. The result of their final was not available at press time.
“That was one of the most amazing turnarounds of my career. I don’t know how I managed to turn that match around,” Murray, a two-time winner in Qatar, said of his semi-final victory.
He saved two match points on his own serve and three as his 21-year-old opponent tried to complete victory with his big serve.
The British veteran, who had a hip replacement in 2019, has now come back from eight match points in four matches at the Doha tournament. He has fought two tiebreaks and been taken to three sets in every match last week.
“I have never experienced this in my whole career,” he added.
“But the way that I have played in the really important moments, the critical moments, has shown that there is a confidence and a belief in my game that has been missing for a while.”
Murray last reached an ATP final in Stuttgart in June 2022. He has not won a tournament since Antwerp in 2019 and has lost to Medevedev in straight sets in their two meetings.
Elsewhere, world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz clawed back a break in both sets and dominated the tiebreaker to beat Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 7-6 (7-0) in the Rio Open quarter-finals.
The 19-year-old Spaniard notched his third win in three matches against 32-year-old Lajovic, including a quarter-final victory over the 80th-ranked Serb in the Argentina Open last weekend.
He went on to win that title to cement his return from a four-month injury layoff that saw him miss the Australian Open in January.
In the semi-finals on Saturday, Alcaraz faced Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry, who toppled sixth-seeded Sebastian Baez of Argentina 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
In the women’s game, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek extended her perfect record against Coco Gauff to 6-0 with a straight-set victory in the Dubai semi-finals.
The Pole triumphed 6-4, 6-2 to set up a championship showdown with Barbora Krejcikova, who knocked out third seed Jessica Pegula 6-1, 5-7, 6-0.
AFP, REUTERS
