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Federer Takes Aussie Open
15th March 2010
It is unusual to find the average college student out of bed at 8.30 a.m. on a Sunday morning, particularly the Sunday after their exams have finished. However, those of us who did sacrifice our lie-in to watch the Australian Open final between Andy Murray and Roger Federer were not disappointed by a brilliant performance from the Swiss world number one.
The outcome was probably not what most of us had dreamed of the night before, but the tennis on show from Federer provided plenty of entertainment throughout.
As Federer breezed through the first two sets 6-3, 6-4, I watched on with an odd sort of guilt complex about the Swiss chocolate I was nibbling on.
Murray was in fact on fine form, continuing with the aggressive tactics that have served him so well up to now in the tournament. It seemed, however, that whatever he tried, Federer would simply turn it back against Murray – the harder Murray hit it; the harder it came back at him.
After going two sets up Federer seemed to step off the gas a little and Murray managed to break his serve. Murray then held serve to take a 5-2 lead in the set and the Melbourne crowd lifted, sensing perhaps that underdog Murray had seized the momentum. With the chance to serve for the set however, Federer broke Murray’s serve and went on to force a tiebreak.
Shifted from my relaxed recline on the couch to a bolt upright position, poised to celebrate, the tension mounted in the living room and, presumably, in Melbourne too. Murray started strongly in the tiebreak and forced two set points at 6-4, but Federer fought back to save both of them.
Murray went on to miss five set points in a thrilling tiebreak and, while Federer twice spurned good opportunities at championship point, Murray’s luck ran out in the end, as Federer wrapped up an outstanding performance 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.
After the game, an emotional Murray apologised to his fans and his nation for being unable to bring home the trophy, as he broke down into tears and joked: “I can cry like Roger, it's a shame I can't play like him.” However, he emerges from Australia as the world number three, with a great deal of confidence and an air that his time for Grand Slams will come.