Qatar Open Final: Andy Murray has previously defeated Lorenzo Sonego, Alexander Zverev, and world No 170 Alexandre Muller in deciding sets to reach the Qatar ExxonMobil Open semi-finals; to reach the final, he spectacularly defeated Czech prodigy Jiri Lehecka; now Daniil Medvedev awaits on Saturday’s final.
Andy Murray saved five match chances in a stunning comeback to defeat Czech prodigy Jiri Lehecka and go to the Qatar Open final.
“It was one of the most spectacular turnarounds I’ve had in my career,” Murray remarked in his on-court interview following his 6-0 3-6 7-6 win.
Murray surged out of the gates to win the first set 6-0 before the 21-year-old Lehecka came back to win the second set 6-3.
Murray will play Daniil Medvedev in the final on Saturday after the Russian defeated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 7-6 on Friday.
Murray, 35, saved five match points in the third set to force the match to a tiebreak and then to a deciding tiebreak in his first ATP semi-final since June 2022.
The Scot retained his cool in a close tiebreak to pull off a stunning triumph.
“He clearly had three match points at 5-4, but he also had three match points when I was serving at 5-3. And I have no idea [how],” Murray went on to say.
“However, to be honest, I have no idea how I managed to turn that one around.”
“I knew it was probably his first serve for the final so I had to try and keep the pressure up at the end because I know how hard it is to serve in games like this.”
That was the Briton’s fourth three-set triumph in four matches this week in Qatar, where he previously defeated Lorenzo Sonego, Alexander Zverev, and Alexandre Muller. Murray’s 2023 record now stands at 6-2, with all six of his victories coming in decisive sets.
The 35-year-old has not won a tour-level match in straight sets since beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the first round of the Gijon Open on 11 October last year, but his perseverance this week has earned him a record fifth Doha championship match participation.
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