Cincinnati Masters: Murray suffers another reverse

Tomas Berdych is ecstatic after beating Andy Murray

Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray continued to stumble on the American hard courts. Murray’s preparations for the US Open have been dealt a blow when Tomas Berdych handed a straight sets defeat to the Scot.

The world No.2 was looking for an extended run at the Southern & Western Open after making an early exit at the hands of Ernests Gulbis last week in Montreal. But Murray was in for further disappointment, with Berdych putting on a clinical performance to oust the Scot 6-3, 6-4 in just 94 minutes.

Murray served 10 aces to just two from Berdych, but ended up offering a break in each set to concede the decisive advantage. Berdych saved each of the four break points he faced, while converting 2 out of 6 to eke out his fifth career victory over Murray in nine meetings.

Murray saved two break points in the fourth game of the first set, before turning aggressor in the next game. But Berdych saved a break point as he survived a lengthy fifth game that lasted fourteen points before the Czech could hold serve. Eventually, Murray surrendered the first break of the match in the eighth game.

Berdych went on to hold at love to grab the first set. In the second set, it was Murray who had the first opportunities. Murray squandered three break points in the second game, allowing Berdych to hold serve from 0-40 down. Another lengthy duel ensued; a 14-point thriller that once again contained three break points. This time though, Murray succumbed at the third time of asking to concede vital break.

From that point onwards, the Czech played a solid game of conservation to ensure there was no way back for the battling Scot. The rest of the games remained on serve, until Berdych needed just the single match point to serve out victory in the tenth game. With the curtains drawn on Murray’s preparation for the US Open, he will look to acclimatise by reaching New York earlier than usual. The Scot is the defending champion in Flushing Meadows.

With the top two seeds out of the tournament, Rafael Nadal is the firm favourite to take his third hard court title of the year. Berdych awaits the winner between Roger Federer and Nadal to learn of his opponent for Saturday.