Familiar foes and frequent practice partners Andy Murray and David Ferrer will battle for a spot in the Australian Open semifinals on Wednesday. Both players cruised through their fourth-round matches in straight sets.
Andy Murray and David Ferrer will be squaring off for the 19th time in the careers when they clash in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Wednesday afternoon. Murray is leading the head-to-head series 12-6, including 11-1 on hard courts. Ferrer’s lone win on the hard stuff came at the 2011 World Tour Finals via a 6-4, 7-5 decision. Their only previous showdown in Melbourne also came five years ago, when Murray booked his spot in the final with a 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-1, 7-6(2) win. The two veterans most recently faced each other last fall in London, where the Scot coasted 6-4, 6-4 during round-robin action.
Murray is the midst of what has been a successful but downright unique fortnight. His wife is back home expecting their first child in a couple of weeks and her father, Nigel Sears, collapsed while coaching Ana Ivanovic last weekend. Murray was on the court at the time, needing four sets to beat Joao Sousa. Sears is recovering well, but the world No. 3 was still in foul mood–even by his own standards–throughout a 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over Bernard Tomic on Monday. Murray also owns straight-set defeats of Alexander Zverev and Sam Groth.
Ferrer slumped throughout lackluster weeks in Doha (first-round loss to Illya Marchenko) and Auckland (semifinal setback against Jack Sock), but he has picked up the pace as the stakes have increased. So far in Melbourne the 33-year-old Spaniard has rolled over Peter Gojowyczk, Lleyton Hewitt, Steve Johnson, and John Isner. Nobody–not even Isner–has pushed Ferrer to a tiebreaker.
Unfortunately for the world No. 8, this is a nightmare matchup for him. Gojowyczk, Johnson, and Isner were more one-dimensional opponents whom Ferrer had no trouble breaking down. Hewitt was slower, less powerful form of Ferrer. Murray, on the other hand, plays even better defense than Ferrer, is just as consistent, and can showcase far more firepower off both wings and with his serve. The combination of Ferrer’s current form and his grittiness will earn him a set, but for the most part this will be one-way traffic.
Pick: Murray in 4
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who ya got?
muzza to win easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy…maybe to drop a set because he likes to do the drama thing at some point in his matches..
Voting with amy.
muzza in 3…
or at worst 4.
sames
Murray in 4.
Murray always finds it tough against Ferrer. He will put ferrer away but it will not be too smooth or straightforward.
not on hard courts he doesnt!
Miami 2013 though. Murray was lucky to win that one.
Already voted Murray in three earlier could take one set MAYBE two.
Murray is playing very well now. I think he will get it done in 3 sets, maybe 4.
Hey Ricky. You asked who’d everyone like to see win fedole. How about you?
Murray looking great, despite distractions. The Scotsman in 3.
Match has started. Both guys held serve.
Murray breaks ferrer. As expected.
real good tennis now
Yes, finally this is a match. Murray getting cranky as usual.
Ferrer wins the second set tb. He’s playing much better now. I said 3 or 4 sets. Murray is yelling at his box on the changeover.
Murray has 38 UE’s so far in this match. Ferrer has 32.
Good stuff so far. VAMOS DAVID!!
Murray wins in four sets; their matches seldom done in straight sets. With the Ferrer loss, Rafa will retain his no.5 ranking.
I got this one right…Murray in 4 it is…I knew Ferry would take a set of Andy…let’s see if I am right for Milos as well…