Andy Murray pulled off a thrilling three-set victory on Friday at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, saving five match points to down Jiri Lehecka and reach his first ATP Tour final since last June. The Briton beat the talented Czech youngster 6-0, 3-6, 7-6(6) in yet another fluctuating match in Doha.
Murray’s remarkable comeback from the brink of defeat began when he saved two match points on his own serve and three as Lehecka served for the match. He then rallied to win the deciding tie-break, roaring with delight as victory over the 21-year-old Lehecka was confirmed and the crowd rose to their feet.
Engaging Clash of Generations
In an engaging clash of generations and gamestyles in Doha, the determined defence and consistent baseline hitting of former World No. 1 Murray prevailed in dramatic fashion against the greater power of 21-year-old Jiri Lehecka. The Briton recovered a 3-5 deficit in the final set, a comeback which included breaking Lehecka when trailing 4-5, 40/0 on the Czech’s serve.
It caps another astonishing week in Murray’s resurgence since his career-saving hip surgery in January 2019. Murray has won three matches from match-point down this year, including in the first round in Qatar, as well as winning all six deciding sets he has contested.
Murray will face former world number one Daniil Medvedev in Saturday’s final. Medvedev, who beat second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6(9-7) later on Friday, is the 2021 US Open champion and will undoubtedly present a formidable challenge for Murray.
Murray’s Habit in Tough Situations
Asked how he had fought back, Murray laughed and said, “I don’t know – that was one of the most amazing turnarounds I’ve had in my career. I have no idea how I managed to turn that one round, to be honest. I will enjoy this evening and hopefully put on a good performance tomorrow.”
“There is a certain calmness to those situations because you have been in them a lot in a short period of time,” Murray said. “You know how you need to try and play, and it becomes a little bit of a habit.”
Other British Successes
Elsewhere, British number one Cameron Norrie reached the Rio Open semi-finals after fighting back to beat Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. In the Dubai Tennis Championships, world number one Iga Swiatek will face Barbora Krejcikova in the final.
Andy Murray’s latest comeback win is a testament to his tenacity and resilience on the court. He has defied the odds time and time again, proving that he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level. Saturday’s final against Daniil Medvedev will undoubtedly be a tough test, but Murray will be hoping to continue his astonishing run of form and claim the Qatar Open title.
