Davis Cup

My sixth blog post and highlight of the week focusses on tennis as Britain started the defence of their Davis Cup title in Birmingham at the weekend.

Team GB win the cup (Credit- http://www.itftennis.com)

The Brits managed to fend off any early round nerves by defeating Japan 3-1 in the best-of-five tie very much thanks to the inspired form of a fatigued Andy Murray.

The world number two won three matches in three days in his first event back following the birth of his daughter Sophia.

His final victory against Kei Nishikori cemented Britain’s place in the quarter-finals of the competition away to Serbia, and ensured that Britain would keep their place in the elite World Group in 2017.

Nishikori ran Murray all the way (Credit- http://www.channelnewasia.com)

The tired Scot prevailed victorious, winning 7-5 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 4-6 6-3 in a mammoth match which lasted four hours and 54 minutes.

The match appeared to sap any energy Murray had left in him from the testing weekend, and no wonder.

He raced into an early lead by taking the first two sets fairly comfortably despite Nishikori showing flashes of his admiral backhand.

Although he was done, the world number six only grew in confidence and in the end in my opinion, performed magnificently. His backhand winners were paying off and he certainly settled down his service game as the match progressed.

Murray’s usual displays of frustration were clear to see as the match was taken to a fifth and final set as he smacked his racket off the ground.

Murray’s anger was obvious (Credit- http://www.bbc.co.uk)

A break at the beginning of the final set didn’t help his anger at all however Britain’s national treasure once again excelled in a high pressure situation. He turned the set around and broke Nishikori back to propel himself into a 4-2 lead and subsequently go onto serve the match and seal the first round win.

Captain Leon Smith said: “I am lost for words at this stage; he is a man of steel, isn’t he?”.

This statement would be hard to argue against after he comfortably won his singles match on Friday and then helped his brother Jamie seal victory in the doubles on Saturday also.

Murray bros celebrate the win (Credit- http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

The match against Nishikori also saw Murray extended his win streak of singles matches in the competition to 14, an impressive run to say the least.

The Scot said in the post match interview that he might make it back to the house for bath time, adding jokingly that he meant his baby daughter and not his wife Kim… whatever you say Andy.

Thanks for reading,

Ewan.

Australian Open

This is my new blog for my latest university assignment. I will be posting regularly about the biggest sporting highlight of the week with reports, reactions and my own take on the events.

This week focuses on Tennis as the first major of the year, the Australian Open, came to a conclusion at the weekend.

Well well well, looks as if Andy Murray is Scottish yet again. This was the second seed’s fifth final Down Under and still the title eludes him.

Unfortunately Murray couldn’t get over the final hurdle

World number one Novak Djokovic in the end brushed past the Scot taking the game in three sets, 6-1 7-5 7-6 (7-3), claiming his sixth Australian Open and has now won four of the last five major tournaments.

A slow start ultimately condemned Murray to his 22^nd loss in 31 matches against the Serb. It took him 24 minutes to get on the scoreboard so from the early stages of the match it was obvious this was going to be an uphill task for our Wimbledon hero.

As Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent said, ‘Allowing Djokovic a 6-1 head start is like giving Usain Bolt a 10m start in a 100m sprint’.

Murray did manage to stage a recovery in the second and third sets, taking the last to a tiebreak. He served more aces, he hit more winners, but sadly he had 24 more unforced errors than the world number one which proved the difference in class.

Murray thanked his fans for their support during ‘a tough few weeks off court’, and promised his wife Kim he’d be on the next flight home as they await the birth of their first child.

Both stars had cruised the majority of their way to the final but in the end Djokovic was too hot to handle.

Novak lifts the trophy (Credit: http://www.livetennis.com/ Clive Brunskill)

In the women’s final, German Angelique Kerber stunned the greatest female player of all time, Serena Williams.

She clinched her first Grand Slam title in an action packed final in which she emerged victorious, winning 6-4 3-6 6-4. Kerber was fully deserving of her victory and described it as a ‘dream come true’ in an emotional interview.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the British though as Andy’s brother, Jamie, won the men’s doubles with partner Bruno Soares, and fellow Scot Gordon Reid won the men’s wheelchair singles.

Gordon Reid receives the First Minister’s praise

  Thanks for reading,

Ewan.