TENNIS – Andy Murray battled past local favourite Phillip Kohlschreiber in three sets with 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 7-6 (7-4) in three hours and five minutes in the Munich BMW Open final which was interrupted yesterday by rain to claim his 32nd tin and his first ever title on clay. Diego Sampaolo
The match resumed on Monday morning after it was interrupted yesterday with Murray serving at 2-3. The first set went on serve until the tie-break where Murray got the mini-break to prevail with 7-4 after 58 minutes. The Dunblane star won 24 of his 28 first service points.
Murray found off two break points in the third game of the second set which featured 16 points. Both players breaks before Murray earned three break points at 4-3 40-0. The German player, who hails from Augsburg in the Southern region of Bayern and won the Munich tournament twice, managed to hold his serve before breaking serve to 15 in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead. Kohlschreiber served out for the second set to draw level on sets with 7-5 forcing the match to the decider. The third set went on serve and came down to the tie-break where Murray reeled off four consecutive points at 2-3 before sealing the win on the second match point. Murray won his first ever tournament under the guidance of his new coach Jonas Bjorkman
Murray won 76 percent of his first serve points and hit 17 aces. The influence of his new coach Jonas Bjorkman was seen in his more aggressive playing style.
Once again the two players offered a tight match one year after Murray edged Kohlschreiber 12-10 in the fifth set in the third round. With this title Murray also won a new BMW car.
Murray, who was playing his first tournament since marrying to Kim Sears, became the first British player to win a clay title since Buster Mottram in Palma de Mallorca in April 1976.
“It was really a tough match. He served very close to the line and I was getting frustrated”, said Murray.
