An incredible third-round schedule on Thursday in Shanghai features a dangerous match for Andy Murray as he goes up against John Isner. Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic are also aiming for a place in the quarterfinals.
(3) Andy Murray vs. (13) John Isner
Murray has owned big servers throughout his career and not even one of the biggest deliveries in tennis history is any exception. Isner’s serve has never gotten the best of Murray as the two competitors head into what is still an intriguing third-round showdown at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Thursday. The second-ranked Scot boasts a perfect 4-0 record in the head-to-head series and has won 11 of 13 total sets. They most recently collided during first-round Davis Cup action earlier this season, with Murray benefiting from home-court advantage and rolling to a 7-6(4), 6-3, 7-6(4) triumph.
That being said, Isner is obviously a threat in any match he plays. The 13th-ranked American is an outstanding 41-21 for his 2015 campaign despite being little more than hopeless the first two months. He has been on cruise control this week with straight-set defeats of Adrian Mannarino and an in-form David Goffin. Isner served at 70 percent against Goffin while firing 21 aces and no double-faults. Murray opened on Wednesday by taking out Steve Johnson 6-2, 6-4. The third seed, though, will want to improve on 57 percent serving and 46 percent (11/24) of second-serve points won. Isner should make this extremely competitive, but as usual in the end his power game will get broken down by Murray’s return.
Pick: Murray in 3
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(14) Marin Cilic vs. (4) Stan Wawrinka
Wawrinka and Cilic will be squaring off for the 10th time in their careers on Thursday. The head-to-head series is being dominated 8-2 by Wawrinka, but Cilic has at least won two of their last six encounters after losing the first four. The two Grand Slam champions most recently faced each other at the 2014 World Tour Finals, where they played one of the few three-setters of the tournament in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory in Wawrinka’s favor.
At fourth in the world, Wawrinka is an awesome 13-1 in his last 14 matches dating back to the start of the U.S. Open. The 30-year-old Swiss reached the semis of that major and he is coming off a title last week in Tokyo. Wawrinka kicked off his Shanghai campaign by defeating Viktor Troicki 7-6(3), 6-3 on Wednesday. Cilic got a new lease on life by saving one match point to survive Chinese wild card Di Wu 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in the opening round. The 12th-ranked Croat used it as a wake-up call and promptly erased countryman Borna Coric 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday. Against Coric, Cilic served at 71 percent with six aces and zero double-faults while dropping a total of six points in seven service games. Similar serving would see a well-rested No. 14 seed put an end to Wawrinka’s hot streak.
Pick: Cilic in 3
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Stan in 3 and Murray in 2
Stan in 3 and Murray in 3.
who ya got?
Stan in straights and Murray in sytaights
Straights*
Murray in 3 sets.
Stan in 3 sets/
Isner won the 1st set 7-6(4).
Andy’s serve was up the creek in that first set. Isner playing well.
Murray manages to hold his serve after being two BPs down. Time for him to up his level because Isner is looking dangerous.
Which he’s doing but Isner retaliates by saving two BPs on his own serve.
Murray finally breaks the Isner serve after Big John had a total 7 BPs in this set. Andy takes the set to level at 1-1 after surviving 2 BP.
Tsonga up and down. Ramos holding on for grim death and steals the set in the TB
Tsonga levels to 1-1, tight match.
Isner looking fatigued but still managed to survive multiple BPs and serving THREE double faults to win the third game in the decider.
Murray breaks Isner to take it to 4-3. Nearly hands the break back but survives BPs to win the game. Isner manages to hold onto 4:5 Murray serving for the match. Murray wins.
“Isner looking fatigued” #reusable
#GodsCountry
Back over to the Tsonga match. J-WT about to serve for the match.
Gets the win after a gutsy fight by ARV, 6-7 7-5 6-4
nice job by ARV backing up his win over Fed
TennisTV ‏ 37 minutes ago
Medical Time Out for @stanwawrinka. Bit of work on the shoulder. Stan up 5-4 1st set.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRW3dxxWoAAnuzR.png
Stan up a set but down a break 3-2 in the 2nd Cilic serving.
Congrats to the No. 2 player in the world beating Isner as predicted.
hope these two play long grueling match with a lot of turnovers… 🙂
?
Apple or cherry?
Cilic turned the break back over to Wawa.
Wawrinka about to win
Don’t give up yet. He’s down a MB in the tiebreak.
3-3
Nooooo cmon Stan close it out
MP
congrats, Rafa!
🙂 yep…
yeah, exactly what I asked for…now all they need to do is play for another hour… 🙂 it is then completely irrelevant who wins…
Cilic’s fitness is not at the highest level so he will most likely be fatigued tomorrow at 3pm..Waw OTOH apparently experiences shoulder pain so playing a three set match will do him no good…
Does the winner of Stan and Marin play Rafa?
Yes
Benny G (at 1:33 pm),
The draw:
http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2015/5014/mds.pdf
Thanks Ricky and augusta
Stanford up a break serving 2-1 deciding set.
Stan is next and he made 51 UEs, now, that’s what I call overdoing something.
Whoa what? He made 51 UE’s? He can’t be doing that against Rafa if he wants to have a chance.
and its a lot easier to make UEs against Rafa than it is against Cilic
Stan Vavrinka won.
Congrats to Me.
(commiserations to those who picked Cilic)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVy0Z7vHDfk
Triple Shanghai hot shot