By Anton Lagani, Lawn Tennis Correspondent, Posted: Saturday, January 10, 2009 6:17pm PST USA
DOHA--(lawntennismag.com) Britain's Andy Murray continued his championship form Saturday as he defeated the American Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-2 to win the Qatar ExxonMobil Open at Doha, Qatar.
Murray started his 2009 tennis season last week with a quick start at the Capitala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition tournament at Abu Dhabi. In winning the tournament, Murray defeated James Blake of the USA as well as former number one Roger Federer of Switzerland and world number one Rafael Nadal of Spain.
And after defeating Federer again Saturday in the semifinals 6-7(6-8), 6-2, 6-2, Murray overwhelmed Roddick in an easier match today to successfully defend a title he'd won last year. It was Murray's first ATP Tour title this year and his ninth career singles title.
Murray broke Roddick's serve once in set one and twice in set two to go ahead in the match, before serving an ace to save the only breakpoint against his serve.
And even though Murray never dropped his serve in his semifinal or final match, he downplayed his chances at the Australian Open, the first of four of tennis' grand slams, which begins January 19th.
Andy Murray of the UK
“I am not close to my best tennis,” Murray said. “But if I play my best tennis, then I can beat the top players.”
“I feel good going into the Australian Open but after what happened last year, I don’t want to get
too carried away,” Murray said. “I am one of the top guys, but I don’t know if I am the favorite at the Australian Open. There is Roger, Rafa and Novak (Djokovic), who won last year.”
Last year in the first round of the Australian Open, Murray lost the the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
In his best grand slam result to date, Murray reached the final at the US Open in September, which he deemed his favorite tournament.
Murray, aged 21 and ranked 4th, is only one of a handful of players who have defeated the current world number one Nadal and the current number two Federer in the same week.
“I am not close to my best tennis,” Murray said. “But if I play my best tennis, then I can beat the top players.”
