By Chris Oddo | Sunday, June 21, 2015
Andy Murray won his fourth title at Queen's with a sublime performance against Kevin Anderson on Sunday.
Photo Source: British Tennis
Andy Murray dialed in his very best grass-court stylings to ease past a dangerous opponent and into Queen’s Club infamy on Sunday.
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The Scot drew even with grass-court luminaries John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick with his fourth title at the event, working his way past Kevin Anderson with a flawless performance, 6-3, 6-4.
“I love the tournament here,” said Murray, in an on-court interview in front of a packed house in London. “This is where I won my first ATP match when I was 18 years old, I was given a wild card here.”
Murray had to begin his day by taking care of some unfinished business against Viktor Troicki. He picked up his rain-suspended semifinal at 3-all in the first set and proceeded to book his spot in his 50th tour-level final with a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over the Serb.
He would pick up right where he left off in the final, breaking in the fourth game when Anderson netted a smash and riding some fantastic serving to take the set.
On the afternoon Murray hit on 68 percent of first serves, did not face a break point, dropping only ten points on serve.
Facing a big serve like Anderson’s, Murray shrewdly took advantage of both of his break opportunities against the hulking South African.
In the second set Murray connected on a sublime, lob-drop combo that left Anderson a helpless spectator as Murray’s arcing backhand sailed high over his head to land inside the baseline for a break and a 3-2 lead.
“I wasn't expecting to have loads of opportunities with the way he had been serving this week and the way the courts were playing, so thankfully when the chances came, I managed to come up with some kind of instinctive shots and guess the right way on a couple of shots, and managed to get the breaks,” Murray said.
For the rest of the way, Murray pulled in the slack, tightening his grip on his 34th career title and never allowing Anderson so much as a sliver of hope.
“He’s a terrific player,” said Anderson, who has emerged as a dark horse candidate with his effort at Queen’s. “It’s tough playing him here.”
Murray, whose six grass-court titles are third among active players behind Roger Federer’s 15 and Lleyton Hewitt’s 8, says he’d like to continue his form through Wimbledon. “I played a little bit better as the week went on,” he said. “It’s been a great week for me, and hopefully I can continue that form into Wimbledon.”
When asked on court if this was the best he’d played since 2013, the year that saw him win his Maiden Wimbledon crown, Murray said he’s feeling even better.
“I’m playing better than then, I feel,” he said. “It’s extremely difficult to win these events.”
Anderson drops to 2-8 lifetime in finals. He was bidding for his 200th career victory.