For the second straight week, Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro reached a tournament final. In Montreal, Brit Andy Murray and the brutal climate wore out the 20 year old. Murray defeated Del Potro 6-7, 7-6, 6-1 to accumulate his second Masters’ shield this season.
In the initial stages of the first set, each man had his way on serve until the sixth game when Del Potro’s forehand missed its mark giving Murray break point. With well targeted serves and forehands, Del Potro corrected his fault to level the set at 3 all. Although Murray got close to manufacturing break points a few times, Del Potro denied the Brit with his serve. The set went to a tiebreaker. Del Potro obtained a mini-break by attacking Murray’s second serve which produced a backhand error for 5-4. Then, with an ace and a forehand winner, Del Potro took the set.
With a backhand up the line winner, Murray had his first break opportunity in the second set. Despite Del Potro resisting, Murray converted on his fourth chance for a 1-0 edge. However, with a forehand crosscourt winner, Del Potro seized a break point. The Argentine capitalized when the Brit made a forehand error. Serving at 1 all, an error on an easy forehand by Juan Martin gifted Andy another break point. Yet, once again Del Potro served himself out of a jam. Hence forth, while Murray comfortably held serve, Del Potro barely managed to hang on. In a 40-0 Del Potro service game, mistakes resulted in deuce and a break point for Murray. However, by flicking a forehand winner off a dropshot by Murray, Del Potro saved the game. With Murray about to serve at 5-6, Del Potro took a shoulder injury time out. Although perturbed, Murray still held at love. In the tiebreaker, with a forehand crosscourt error by Del Potro, Murray went up a mini-break. Yet, with Murray serving at 4-2, Del Potro crushed a second serve and finished with a forehand winner to get back on serve. However, great defense by Murray on the next point produced an error by Del Potro to reestablish the Brit’s advantage. Murray eventually carried the tiebreaker.
Despite an extended restroom break, weary from the heat, Del Potro wilted. After Murray held at love to open the third, a forehand return winner crosscourt earned the Brit a break point after several miscues by the Argentine. With a backhand error by his rival, Murray went up 2-0. After another love game for 3-0, Murray broke Del Potro for 4-0. The Brit dominated the remainder of the match and sealed the championship with an ace.
Back on tour after an extended absence due to knee tendonitis, Rafael Nadal, the defending champion, fell in the quarterfinals to Del Potro. As a result of Nadal’s loss, Murray will assume the number two ranking. Another quarterfinal victim was Roger Federer. Federer wasted a 5-1 lead in the third against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Andy Roddick had another strong showing. Roddick went out in the semifinals to Del Potro after being unable to bank a match point.
