By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 9, 2016
Andy Murray battled back from a break down in the final set, edging Steve Johnson, 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (2), to reach the Rio Olympics semifinals.
Photo credit: ITF Olympic Tennis
Training with former Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson on the track helped the young Andy Murray strengthen his stamina.
These days, Murray is mastering the art of the closing kick.
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Down 3-4 in the final set, Murray picked up the pace edging Steve Johnson 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (2), to advance to the Rio Olympic semifinals.
Continuing his quest to become the first man to successfully defend the Olympic gold medal, Murray kept calm and amped up his aggression in the tie break subduing the high-energy American.
It was Murray's 16th consecutive win and it didn't come easy.
For the second straight day, Murray rallied from a break down in the decisive set.
Yesterday, the second-ranked Scot roared back from a 0-3 deficit in the decisive set winning six straight games fighting off Fabio Fognini, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in a two hour, seven-minute match of wild momentum shifts.
Bursting out of the blocks quickly today, Murray packaged a pair of quick holds around a break for a tidy 3-0 start.
Serving at 0-2, a frustrated Johnson argued with the chair umpire after an over-rule then turned his attention toward trying to hold.
Cracking through Murray's moveable wall defense on the slower gritty hard court presented a couple of primary problems for Johnson in the first set.
1. Murray's court coverage was so oppressive, Johnson was often forced to play too close to the lines.
2. The Wimbledon winner was hitting with precision often pressing Johnson's forehand to create openings to the American's weaker backhand wing.
On set point, a lunging Murray wristed a stretched forehand return that bumped into the top of the tape then slithered over the net, the topping on the bagel the Scot spent just 25 minutes dispensing.
It was the first time Johnson was on the wrong end of a shutout set since 2014.
Rather than dwell on that ignominious mark, the former USA all-American answered with inspired tennis.
Rather than loading up and trying to squeeze shots inside the lines, Johnson began playing combinations mixing a higher, heavier topspin forehands with flatter forehand strikes.
Capping a physical 30-shot rally, Johnson carved out a clever forehand drop shot winner for double break point. Murray scattered a backhand down the line wide as Johnson broke to open the second set. Johnson stamped a love hold for 2-0.
Facing one of the best returners in the sport, Johnson made the break stand up often hitting his heavy kick serve to set up a stinging forehand first strike.
Johnson served 68 percent and won 17 of 21 points played on his first serve in snatching the 39-minute second set to level.
Little separated the pair in a tense third set. Johnson broke first for 4-3, but Murray broke right back in the eighth game.
Serving at 4-all, Murray looped a backhand long to face break point. A grinding 27-shot rally concluded with Johnson netting a running forehand as Murray clawed back to deuce. A sharp-angled forehand crosscourt sent Johnson tumbling to the court lunging for the ball in vain as Murray eventually held for 5-4.
Slashing his sixth ace, Murray took a 3-1 tie break lead.
The backhand is Johnson's most vulnerable shot, but he zapped a running one-handed backhand pass punctuated with a big fist pump for 2-4.
That bit of brilliance preceded a costly brain cramp. Johnson, whose forehand had been such a damaging weapon, opted for a timid forehand drop shot that settled softly into the net. He belted a ball at the wall in frustration, but the damage was done as Murray seized a 5-2 lead.
Moving up to the service line, Murray ended a gritty match with smash and a scream.
The three-time Grand Slam champion will face fourth-seeded Kei Nishikori or sixth-seeded Gael Monfils for a spot in Sunday's final.