Murray reaches the RG final after controversy

Andy Murray keeps on winning.

The world no.1 had to edge a bad start in the Roland Garros quarters against Nishikori after he lost the opener 6-2. The Briton found his range to come back in style in the second set to win 6-1. The key of the match was the 3rd set when Kei and Andy engaged in a fierce battle that ended at the tiebreak; Murray kept is nerves to win the breaker at 0. After being broken in the very first game of the 4th set, Andy found his range again to conquer six consecutive games and clinch the match 2-6 6-1 7-6 (0) 6-1.

The controversy

In the second set (the scoreline was 6-2 1-1 for Kei), Andy lost a serve for time violation after he missed a ball toss. The Briton went in disbelief to the chair umpire to complain, but the call stayed. Eventually, that episode fired up Andy that won 5 consecutive games and the set (6-1).

In the post-match press conference, Andy commented

“It felt to me like it was a strange decision. I have never seen anyone get a warning after they have missed the ball toss. I have never seen that.

I think he’s a very good umpire. It was just today it was just strange how it came about, because it was after the very first game of the match. You know, when we changed ends at 1-0 he told me, You’re playing too slowly. And then my second service game I got the warning. And the way I lost the serve, I thought was a strange time for it.

But it’s possible that I’m playing too slow. I don’t know, because we don’t have the clock on the court, so it’s impossible for us to tell. But I didn’t feel like today I was playing slower than I was in the other matches. If I was, then obviously I deserved the warning.

 But I feel like I should, if I have been playing at that speed the whole tournament, be getting the warnings throughout the whole event and not just starting in the quarterfinals.”

Even if it is right to enforce the time violation rule, Andy is probably right to say that they cannot control it if they do not have a clock on court. That could be a good idea.


The semifinal vs. Wawrinka

Andy will play Stan Wawrinka in the semifinal. The head to head is 10-7 for Andy that has already defeated Stan in the Roland Garros semifinal last year (6-4 6-2 4-6 6-2). Still, the Swiss leads Murray 3-1 on clay.

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