It was just one of those matches. One of those thrilling matches in which both players put everything on the line, clawed for each and every point, because they knew that each one could make the difference in the end.
Just one of those matches.
In what was easily the most suspenseful and exciting contest of the week at the World Tour Finals, Andy Murray came out with a vengeance. After serving poorly in his loss to Roger Federer, the Scot dazzled Rafa with his service from the get-go. Both players held throughout the first set, trading games until the set was even at 6-all. The Spaniard was equally as effective thanks to his pristine placement. Nadal continually served into Murray’s body, inciting weak forehand returns. The first-set tiebreaker was close, too, but with Murray trailing 6-5, Nadal hit a picture-perfect drop shot winner to take the set.
Murray was nearly flawless in the set, yet Nadal's will, mental strength -- and a fine drop shot at the end -- saw him through. But Murray retaliated from his extreme disappointment.
Did he ever. Despite some early troubles on serve, Murray showed tremendous poise, fighting back from a 3-2 deficit to take the next four games. Murray would break Nadal twice over that period – his first two breaks of the day – and would win 16 of the last 21 points en route to a 6-3 second set victory.
It seemed destined that Murray would stage a heroic comeback in front of his hometown crowd. But remember. this is still Rafael Nadal we’re talking about – the man isn’t exactly fazed by a lack of momentum or a particularly raucous crowd.
In the third, Nadal gained an edge by breaking Murray for the first time all day, taking a 2-1 lead. Both men would hold for the next five games, giving Nadal a 5-3 advantage. With Murray serving, Nadal had match point at 30-40. Murray wouldn’t be broken, however -- even if he did bend -- as he would rally to hold and then break Nadal to even the set at five-all. Both players would subsequently hold, and a final tiebreak was in store.
Murray took the first three points with brilliant winners. His lead would become 4-1 before Nadal reminded the crowd that he’s the best on the planet. The nine-time Grand Slam champ would win of five of the next six points, though he would again fail on a match point. After Murray hit a forehand wide to give Rafa a third try, Nadal finished Murray off with a gut-wrenching cross-court winner that narrowly caught the line.
It was just one of those matches.
—Brad Kallet