Date:11/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/11/stories/2009011155831500.htm

Sport

Murray defeats Federer

DOHA: Defending champion and third seed Andy Murray continued his mastery over World No. 2 Roger Federer when he defeated the Swiss 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 on Friday to reach the final of the Qatar Open.

Briton Murray, who has a 5-2 head-to-head record over Federer including an exhibition event last week in Abu Dhabi, will meet American Andy Roddick in Saturday’s final, if a back problem allows.

“My back has been giving me some problems ever since Abu Dhabi. I don’t know whether it has something to do with the nature of the court, rather than the weather,” added Murray.

Roddick overcame the plucky resistance of Frenchman Gael Monfils to win his semifinal 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 earlier on Friday.

Federer played an attacking game in the first set, charging to the net often and hitting good volleys.

He went 5-4 up with back-to-back aces and was two points away from winning the set in the 11th game but allowed Murray to wriggle out of the tight spot and extend the set to a tiebreak.

In the second set Federer committed far too many unforced errors. Murray broke Federer’s serve in the sixth and eighth games and won the set in 31 minutes.

At 2-1 up in the deciding set, Murray summoned the trainer to get his back massaged. When he resumed play, he relentlessly attacked the Federer backhand to gain a 3-1 lead.

Federer surrendered the final point by slamming an easy overhead into the net.

Easy for Dementieva

At Wellington, Olympic champion Elena Dementieva eased to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over fellow Russian Elena Vesnina to capture the Auckland Classic title on Saturday.

Dementieva, 27, wrapped up the victory in 88 minutes and completed the tournament without dropping a set.

First title

At Brisbane, second-seeded Victoria Azarenka won her first WTA Tour title on Saturday, overpowering Marion Bartoli of France 6-3, 6-1 in the final of the Brisbane International.

In Sunday’s final, Verdasco will play eighth-seeded Stepanek, who beat Richard Gasquet 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the other semifinal.

The results:

At Doha: Qatar Open: Semifinals: Andy Roddick bt Gael Monfils 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-3; Andy Murray bt Roger Federer 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-2.

At Auckland: WTA Auckland Classic: Final: Elena Dementieva bt Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-1.

At Brisbane (Brisbane International): Women: Final: Victoria Azarenka bt Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-1.

Men: Semifinals: Fernando Verdasco bt Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 6-1; Radek Stepanek bt Richard Gasquet 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. — Agencies