The night match between Feliciano Lopez and Andy Murray had potential, particularly with Lopez being in reasonably good form lately. The Spanish pretty boy has game, the problem is that he often forgets to turn the switch on. Tonight was one of those nights. Murray toppled the Spaniard easily 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 as Lopez struggled to consistently string points together.
Before I walked out in disgust at Lopez’s – I’m going to say it – pathetic performance, I found Andy Murray’s body language interesting. Much like Novak Djokovic yesterday Murray was comfortably leading and yet his head was hung, he was smacking his thigh and thumping his racket into his shoes.
Murray needed have worried. Lopez would have been lucky to score a set. He frequently over played and failed to even play his bread and butter serve and volley tennis. The only shot he his consistently well were smashes. Occassionally he’d produce one brilliant point sending the crowd into over drive to try and pump him up and into action but sure enough he’d double fault on break point and be walking to his chair almost before the ball had even landed, looking like he had given up.
When Lopez did produce winning shots he had to fist pump to try and keep himself motivated on to, moments later, succumb to the far superior control of Murray.
Murray now faces Donald Young for a place in the quarterfinals.
