Murray dominates Garcia-Lopez to make Dubai quarter-finals

 

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 By Jake Davies

  • Andy Murray [1] defeats Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 6-0
  • Gael Monfils [4] defeats Dan Evans 6-4 3-6 6-1
  • Kyle Edmund also gets eliminated from Acapulco in a spirited loss against Sam Querrey

Andy Murray [1] defeats Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 6-0

Top seed Andy Murray picked up a well-needed, confidence-boosting performance and win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to stamp his authority on the tournament and to leave a significant message to the rest of the field going into the remainder of the event. Murray played himself into form in his first round match against Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri and looked absolutely impenetrable in his match-up against the Spaniard in the Dubai second-round match under the lights.

The Spaniard had beaten Murray in their last meeting five years ago, but history was not going to  repeat itself this time as Murray not only looked impossible to break down, but he also took time away from the man with a one-handed backhand.

Murray would go on to win eight successive games to finish the job in an hour and 18 minutes and will now play Phillip Kohlschreiber in the Dubai quarter-finals – a man that has troubled him on more than one occasion and has much greater pedigree than that of his previous opponent.

 

Murray vs Philipp Kohlschreiber H2H: Murray leads 4-1

Often when this particular match-up takes place the usual conclusion is Murray prevailing with a hard-fought victory but he usually gets taken to his physical and mental limits against the German. Kohlschreiber has taken at least a set off Murray in four of the five times they have played against each other and it would not be surprising if the same happens in Dubai in this quarter-final meeting.

Kohlschreiber tends to spend most of his tennis deep behind the baseline, which allows Murray to be the aggressor in this match and it actually simplifies Murray’s game. If he executes his game plan and takes the match to the German, he should be coming up with the victory more often than not.

The hazard warnings of playing Kohlschreiber is that he feels comfortable on all surfaces. He is capable of producing fantastic tennis on clay, hard and a grass court, but the issue he has is that Murray is one of the greatest hard court players in the game and should win this match in straight sets.

Prediction: Murray in two sets.

 

Gael Monfils [4] defeats Dan Evans 6-4 3-6 6-1

Dan Evans gave a valiant effort in a three set loss to the fourth seeded Gael Monfils. The Brit may have lost a tight match against another Top 15 player, but Evans, who is at a career high ranking of No.43 in the world, showed signs once again that he can live with the best players on the ATP tour.

One single service break in the opening set was enough to give the Frenchman a 6-4 lead and it looked like it was going to be a comfortable afternoon for Monfils when he broke early in the second set. Evans fought back to win the second set, but ultimately he could not find the rhythm and consistency off his serve and paid the price with a disappointing defeat in the desert.

 

Sam Querrey defeats Kyle Edmund 6-2 4-6 6-3 in Acapulco

In the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, British No.3 player Kyle Edmund suffered a disappointing defeat to Sam Querrey of the United States. It was a considerable comedown after the dizzy heights that Edmund had achieved at the Davis Cup in Canada and also after such a promising run in Delray Beach, where he would go on to lose to No.1 seed Milos Raonic in three sets.

Now Edmund and Evans have plenty of time to prepare for an important combination of weeks in Indian Wells and Miami, where there are plenty of points up for grabs, which could dictate the level of events that both players can continue to play for the rest of the season. Both will be expecting big things at at least one of the Masters 1000 events in America.