Murray Emerges as 4th Time King at Queen’s While Federer Wins Record 8th Title at Halle

The two men from Modern Tennis’ long-standing Big-Four, scored signature victories at two European venues, almost 1000 km apart from each other. Great Britain’s Andy Murray had a more difficult task in London than Roger Federer in Halle as Murray was merely a semi-finalist on Sunday morning. The Scot was locked 3-3 with Serbia’s Viktor Troicki in his semi-final match on Saturday night, when the rains forced suspension of that match to Sunday morning. The Aegon Championship final was scheduled later on Sunday and therefore Murray first completed the unfinished semi-final in the morning and returned to play the final a few hours later against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson. Playing two vital matches on a single day can be tiresome mentally and physically but Murray came off just fine. He first defeated Viktor Troicki 6-3, 7-6 in semi-final and prevailed over Kevin Anderson 6-3, 6-4 in the championship match. In the Gerry Weber Open at Halle in Germany, Roger Federer completed his eighth championship victory by defeating Italy’s Andreas Seppi 7-6, 6-4 in the final. While other seeded players prefer playing at Queen’s Club because of its proximity to Wimbledon, Federer has always used the Halle event as his grass court preparation for the year’s third Grand Slam. Although, Federer didn’t have it easy against the obdurate Italian; the 17-time Grand Slam champion prevailed in the end.

Murray arrived at Queen’s Club in the morning to complete the unfinished task of playing against Serbia’s Viktor Troicki. They two players resumed at 3-3 but Murray soon assumed control and took the first set 6-3 without too much fuss. In the second set, however, the Serb offered resistance and Murray had to raise his game. Regardless, the set was finally decided in the tiebreak and Murray reached the final with a 6-3, 7-6 victory.

In the final on the same day, world no.3 Murray showed no sign of tiredness in having to play so soon after the semi-final. Murray had known that return of serves against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson was the key. Anderson had fired 96 aces in his three previous matches and it was necessary for Murray to reach the booming serve and send it on the other side somehow. Anderson began the first service game of the final and produced two more aces and crossed the three-figure mark for the week. Murray was unfazed as he held his own serve and waited for his chances. The first break came in fourth game, when Murray confidently returned a 141 mile-per-hour serve and Anderson netted his volley. It was enough work for Murray in the first set that was over in less than 30 minutes at 6-3 in Murray’s favor. Although Anderson kept holding his serve at love through more aces in the second set; Murray broke him again in the fifth game to lead 3-2. Anderson couldn’t force a break of his own. Murray raised his arms in victory, when a shot from Anderson fell wide as he returned Murray’s service in the tenth game.

It was the fourth title for the Scot at Queen’s Club after he lifted the trophy in 2009, 2011 and 2013. The Scot joined the select band of players, who also won four times in the tournament and they included; John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Roddick.

If Murray made it 4 times in London, Roger Federer’s count of trophies at Gerry Weber Open in Halle rose to 8. In the final on Sunday, Federer defeated Italy’s Andreas Seppi 7-6, 6-4. Seppi was fortunate to reach the final as Gael Monfils and Kei Nishikori afforded walk-overs to him in the earlier rounds. Federer had a tougher progress to the final in comparison. The first set went on serves until Seppi found a break opportunity at 4-4. But the Italian was not able to convert. In Federer’s next service game, Seppi held two set points but Federer survived and the match went to tiebreak. Federer played superbly to open up a 4-0 lead, from where the Italian never recovered. After taking the first set 7-1 on tiebreak, Federer looked in command in the second set. But the Italian had some reserve left as he found another break opportunity in the fifth game. But Federer saved it and found his own chance to break in the seventh game. Though Seppi denied him that, Federer seized the momentum as he finally got the break in the 10th game. The Swiss dominated as he closed out the match 7-6, 6-4 and secured his eighth Halle crown.