Andy Murray In Fine Form
02 September 2010
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Despite the soaring temperatures in new York yesterday afternoon British number one Andy Murray barely broke a sweat as he dispatched Lukas Lacko for the loss of just seven games.
Murray, who is seeded fourth in Flushing Meadows, comes into the tournament in good form after lifting the Toronto Masters title just a couple of weeks ago and it showed as he swept past the Slovakian.
Lacko was making his debut at the U.S. Open but he couldn't stay with the Scot as he fired down thirty seven winners in a match that lasted just an hour and fifty one minutes.
Murray broke in the fourth game of the opening set and almost made it a double break two games later when Lacko fought of three more break points. Despite holding his serve Murray went on to serve out the set, despite missing a straight forward smash.
Into the second and Murray broke his opponent in the opening game to immediately give himself the advantage, but that advantage didn't last long as Lacko broke back to level the set at 1-1.
But the resistance didn't last long as Murray broke Lacko on two more occasions to move into a commanding two sets to love lead. Lacko looked to be tiring in the third set and two double faults in the third game of that set handed Murray another break.
Murray broke again in the seventh game to seal a straight forward 6-3 6-2 6-2 to progress to the second round.
Speaking to the BBC after the match Murray said: "I managed to get through in straight sets so I'm pleased, but it was a lot tougher than the score suggests," said Murray.
"Everyone in my box always tells me it's a lot tougher watching in the heat than playing but I'm not so sure. They were brutal conditions. It wasn't necessarily the best tennis, but the conditions were tricky out there," he said.
"It was very windy on the court. It was a guy I've never played against on the tour. I haven't really seen much of him play, so it took a little time to get used to his game. But I did enough to win in straight sets, and that was the most important thing.
"You'd rather win as quickly as possible in any condition, whether it's cold or hot, in the Slams, but the only important thing is to win the match.
"If it's in five sets it's not ideal, but you just want to try to win."
Murray will now face Dustin Brown as the Jamaican also came through in straight sets against Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 7-5.
Big hitting John Isner was also in action yesterday in his first round match as he faced off against Frederico Gil. The American picked up an ankle injury earlier on in the American hard court season but looked to have put that behind him as he enjoyed a straight sets victory.
Isner broke Gil in the tenth game of the opening set, the first game of the second and the ninth game of the third to earn a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory. He will now face Marco Chiudinelli as he saw off Sock of the USA 6-1 6-4 1-6 6-1.
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