Three-time Major champion Andy Murray beat the unheralded Pedro Cachin of Argentina 2-6 7-6 7-5 in the quarterfinals at the ATP Gijon Open on Thursday. The match, a gruelling physical encounter, lasted for almost three hours but in the end the 35-year-old Brit managed to overcome his opponent. Murray will next take on Sebastian Korda of the United States in the semifinal. But what were the keys to the match?
#1. Cachin reaped the rewards for early aggression:
Cachin, eight years younger than his opponent, perhaps unsurprisingly looked the more athletic of the two in the early stages and took an aggressive approach from the off. He rushed the net frequently to keep Murray on the backfoot and tried to avoid engaging in prolonged rallies from the baseline. Cachin broke Murray in the very first game of the match, and although Murray broke back immediately, he was then broken again. Cachin did not surrender his advantage again, finishing the first set with a fine backhand volley.
#2. Murray able to rely on passing shots and lobs:
Murray slowly fought his way back into the match with the relatively slow surface seeming to help him. Despite Cachin’s aggressive approach, the surface allowed Murray to stay in rallies even when under pressure, and to hit some measured passing shots and lobs past his onrushing opponent. One of Murray’s backhand defensive lobs was simply breathtaking and stunned his opponent. Murray was also willing to venture to the net himself, demonstrating his excellent hands on more than one occasion.
He managed to get the decisive break in the 12th game of the second set, hitting a overhead smash with his backhand up set point to level the match. It looked to be advantage Murray at that point, with Cachin’s energy levels visibly waning.
#3. Murray managed to edge hang tough:
Unexpectedly, it was Cachin who broke first in the decider with the Argentine taking a 3-2 lead. But he was unable to press his advantage with Murray breaking back to force a tiebreak. The Briton then raced out to a 6-1 lead in the tiebreak and, despite a late really from Cachin, closed it out comfortably enough, hitting hitting a cross-court backhand passing shot to finish the match.
Cachin hit winners off his forehand throughout and finished the match with 45 winners in total compared with Murray’s 31. However, the Argentine struggled behind his second serve, winning only 48% of the points when he missed his first serve. Murray, in contrast, managed to win 56% of the points behind his second delivery and, in a very close match, that ultimately made the difference.
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