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| Andy Murray loses to Kei Nishikori in ATP Tour finals opener | Andy Murray loses to Kei Nishikori in ATP Tour finals opener |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Having fought so impressively over the past six weeks to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals, Andy Murray opened his campaign on the south bank of the Thames in abject fashion, losing to Kei Nishikori in straight sets, and now must surely beat Roger Federer or Milos Raonic by that route to get out of his group. | |
| As he said afterwards, it will not be easy. “Both of us struggled at the beginning,” he conceded, citing conditions that were warmer than in the pre-match hit-up, which added pace and bounce to each exchange. Other anomalies abounded as the Japanese player eked out a 6-4, 6-4 win in an hour and 35 minutes of sometimes wretched, very occasionally excellent, tennis. | As he said afterwards, it will not be easy. “Both of us struggled at the beginning,” he conceded, citing conditions that were warmer than in the pre-match hit-up, which added pace and bounce to each exchange. Other anomalies abounded as the Japanese player eked out a 6-4, 6-4 win in an hour and 35 minutes of sometimes wretched, very occasionally excellent, tennis. |
| It was altogether a curious match. Murray had won 20 of 23 indoor matches coming here – including three tough wins in finals when he saved a total of 10 match points – but he played as if it were his debut in the tournament, not Nishikori’s. | It was altogether a curious match. Murray had won 20 of 23 indoor matches coming here – including three tough wins in finals when he saved a total of 10 match points – but he played as if it were his debut in the tournament, not Nishikori’s. |
| It was not entirely dreadful; Nishikori found some decent form in the second set and there were a few high-grade exchanges, especially at close quarters, but overall it was dross drowning diamonds. | It was not entirely dreadful; Nishikori found some decent form in the second set and there were a few high-grade exchanges, especially at close quarters, but overall it was dross drowning diamonds. |
| Murray later poured at least lukewarm water on an interesting suggestion by Greg Rusedski in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph that his service action, especially on his second serve, had been tailored to accommodate the changes in his body after his back surgery last September. It had, said Rusedski, forced Murray’s ball-toss wider, making his serve less potent and easier to read, without the customary kick. | Murray later poured at least lukewarm water on an interesting suggestion by Greg Rusedski in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph that his service action, especially on his second serve, had been tailored to accommodate the changes in his body after his back surgery last September. It had, said Rusedski, forced Murray’s ball-toss wider, making his serve less potent and easier to read, without the customary kick. |
| “Not intentionally, no,” Murray said. “The problem I was having with my back didn’t cause me any problems when I was serving. That wasn’t why I had the surgery. That was one of the shots that it really didn’t affect. | “Not intentionally, no,” Murray said. “The problem I was having with my back didn’t cause me any problems when I was serving. That wasn’t why I had the surgery. That was one of the shots that it really didn’t affect. |
| “I hope it hasn’t changed it too much. At the end of the year I will have a look at some video of before my surgery and now to see if things have evolved or things have changed my game. I wouldn’t have intentionally changed my serve because I wasn’t getting any problems with my back from my service action.” | “I hope it hasn’t changed it too much. At the end of the year I will have a look at some video of before my surgery and now to see if things have evolved or things have changed my game. I wouldn’t have intentionally changed my serve because I wasn’t getting any problems with my back from my service action.” |
| The bigger mysteries were on court. For instance, how did Murray, who has one of the best returns in the game, not consistently punish Nishikori for failing to land fewer than half of his first serves in the required space? | The bigger mysteries were on court. For instance, how did Murray, who has one of the best returns in the game, not consistently punish Nishikori for failing to land fewer than half of his first serves in the required space? |
| How did Murray blow gift-wrapped chances to break in the third game, as Nishikori saved then held with second serves that barely hit 90mph? When he did break in the fifth game, what demons gripped Murray as he served two double faults to hand the break back immediately? | |
| Then, serving to stay in the set, how did Murray come to the conclusion that he should drop-shot from deep at 30-40 – and watch the ball dribble harmlessly into the net? | |
| Nishikori showed him how to play the shot at the start of the second, breaking at the first opportunity for 2-0 with a delicate chip from the back of the court that found Murray similarly deep and adrift, staring impotently at the net. | Nishikori showed him how to play the shot at the start of the second, breaking at the first opportunity for 2-0 with a delicate chip from the back of the court that found Murray similarly deep and adrift, staring impotently at the net. |
| Nishikori was doing his best to match Murray’s ineptitude, a sixth double fault giving his opponent a look in the third game, but he held for 3-0. | Nishikori was doing his best to match Murray’s ineptitude, a sixth double fault giving his opponent a look in the third game, but he held for 3-0. |
| If Nishikori was vulnerable with ball in hand, Murray was racking up the unforced errors off the ground – 16 overall on his normally rock-solid backhand. Murray saved with his fourth ace, then survived a five-deuce struggle in which his racket and shot selection continued to undermine his fightback. Nearly every climb was followed by a rapid tumble – which at least passed for excitement of sorts. | |
| Nishikori gave Murray two break points in the seventh game, hitting long, then volleyed a dipping forehand into the net. Murray had the trainer on to massage his left calf – and, on resuming, held with a 129mph ace to level at 4-all. | Nishikori gave Murray two break points in the seventh game, hitting long, then volleyed a dipping forehand into the net. Murray had the trainer on to massage his left calf – and, on resuming, held with a 129mph ace to level at 4-all. |
| There was a sense that, if Murray could edge the second set, he might find some rhythm in the third but the finish was as limp as the start. | There was a sense that, if Murray could edge the second set, he might find some rhythm in the third but the finish was as limp as the start. |
| Serving to stay in the contest, Murray dumped a backhand into the net to give Nishikori two match points. An anaemic second serve of 84mph preceded a poor final effort, his backhand drifting long, and it was over without sweat in front of a bemused full house. |