French Open Day 11 Dont get Fresh with me!

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Schedule
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/schedule17.html

Note the mens 4th round is second up. If the unthinkable happens they might get delayed even longer

Oh goodness, he always does this

A final BH dumped into the net from Murray eventually gift-wraps the set to Gasquet. Seems to be really struggling off that wing, which is odd as he was hitting it very well at the start. Poor from Murray, needs to re-focus, and start playing properly again...

Ps my prematch prediction was Murray wins in four sets with Gasquet winning the first or second set - because that is how their matches pan out on average.

I mean that BH wasn't even close to the court...

much needed hold for Murray that, stops the rot of five games in a row. You do wonder if the dropshot tactic is to tire Gasquet out, the Frenchman's deep position on the court means he's already had to do quite a lot of running, so maybe Murray feels he can outlast him if nothing else?

Mary Pierce explains the simple formula to beat Gasquet which explains why his career has a ceiling.  Not to do with Gasquet choking but his inability to deal with certain placed balls (may be something similar to Federer's inability to deal with Nadals high bouncing ball to the backhand).

fine hold from Gasquet from 15-40 down, helped by some bad returning from Murray.

This time it's Murray's turn to hold from 15-40 down, good positive play that, just the three dropshots in that game

Dropshot watch: two each from the two players, Gasquet holds to 30.

Only one dropshot in that game from Murray, none from Gasquet, standards slipping

Murray breaks. Couple of loose points from Gasquet (including a DF) brings up 15-40, and Murray works the point well, finishing it off with - wait for it - a dropshot (clean winner this time).

WHAT. A. POINT.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Murray breaks. Couple of loose points from Gasquet (including a DF) brings up 15-40, and Murray works the point well, finishing it off with - wait for it - a dropshot (clean winner this time).

Appreciating the play-by-play updates MfC...(unable to load up a side screen with the match at work )

Wonder how much that point at 0-15 in the last game will have taken out of Gasquet mentally. Murray had no right to win it, Gasquet having three of four chances of putting it away but Murray showed stunning reflexes at the net and tremendous athleticism to make that last FH pass. Bit of a breeze through the game thereafter. 5-2

Gasquet holds to love as Murray takes a breather, can he see it out this time around?

Nope, excellent game from Gasquet coupled with some too passive play from Murray, and once more Gasquet has broken back when Murray was serving for the set. Yet again Murray not making first serves at the start of the game put him on the back foot.

The next couple of games are huge, and I think decide the match. If Gasquet gets this set the crowd could carry him home. If Andy equalises you'd think he may run away with it.

I am getting a feeling that this is going to be a Wawrinka v Djokovic final with Wawrinka winning again. I still feel Murray will win this match in four or possibly five.

I feel Gasquet has to win this set to have a chance. The crowd might help Gasquet.

Murray doing it again, now 0-30 down at 5-5...

Nope not this time, Murray's first serve finally comes to the party, and some solid net play sees him hold on for 6-5.

Sounds like this is turning into a typically tumultuous affair between Andy & Richard - splashes of quality mixed with errors aplenty usually makes for an exciting, albeit also somewhat frustrating, watch

Is Murray still in dropshot mode?

let's have a tie breaker

Tie breaker. A great test for both players. Gasquet's first serve disappeared in the last game.

Andy in huge trouble

Gasquet showing signs of tiring.

Kuerten won three 5-set matches when he first won Roland Garros in 1997.....

His opponents were pretty impressive though - Muster, Medvedev, and Kafelnikov (before beating another past winner in a 3-set final, Bruguera)

So they call Murray the tank? I think Murray wins in four from here. Gasquet showing signs of tiring while Murray just keeps going.

Such a great TB from Murray after a DF saw him slip 1-3 down. Controlled aggression, positive body language, and Gasquet has no answer as Murray reels off six points in a row to level the match. Needs to keep that level of intensity going now...

Wawrinka the destroyer 6-2 6-1 into a third set.  Wawrinka has proper weapons Murray vs Wawrinka should be the first time in this tournament where Murray is not favourite to win (in my opinion).

The fine line between success and failure... Gasquet chases down a drop shot and hits down the line. Murray not getting there, but it clips the net and sits up for an easy Murray put away.

Would have been 4-1 Gasquet, instead it's 3-2 and Murray wins every point from there.

I'm hoping Murray has broke his heart now

Jesus. I went to my meeting with abdy serving for the first set. What in blue blazes has happened? The score looks like a warzone...

Gasquet starting to look a bit weary TBH, Murray producing some dazzling defensive work to win two points he had no right to, and a rather limp dropshot from Gasquet dies in the bottom of the net to hand Murray the early break.

Danny_1982 wrote:The fine line between success and failure... Gasquet chases down a drop shot and hits down the line. Murray not getting there, but it clips the net and sits up for an easy Murray put away.

Would have been 4-1 Gasquet, instead it's 3-2 and Murray wins every point from there.

I'm hoping Murray has broke his heart now

It was at 3-2 I thought, Murray hit an ace at 3-1? but you're right, fine lines...

When Murray wins this match (as surely he will?) then despite all his wobbles early in the tournament we can say he has done it again - basically reached the level his ranking and talent indicate he should reach. Another semi-final in the French open - that would make four semi-finals and the third in a row. I don't think he will make it to his first final but maybe next year?

Well I mean. Stan should beat him easily on this indication. Despite that he will have defended his points from last year playing really badly, so it's not as nightmarish a fortnight as it looks

Mad for Chelsea wrote:

Danny_1982 wrote:The fine line between success and failure... Gasquet chases down a drop shot and hits down the line. Murray not getting there, but it clips the net and sits up for an easy Murray put away.

Would have been 4-1 Gasquet, instead it's 3-2 and Murray wins every point from there.

I'm hoping Murray has broke his heart now

It was at 3-2 I thought, Murray hit an ace at 3-1? but you're right, fine lines...

Yes you're right.

If a defending champion can reach the SF under the radar, that's exactly what Stan may be doing.  He seems to have reversed his dire clay-court form earlier this season over four rounds at Geneva, funny how has faced two of his four opponents from Geneva at this tournament as well.  But at 15-30 down when serving at 4-3 up in the fourth it's not in the bag yet.

Murray now with the double break at 3-0. Unless Gasquet finds a second wind from somewhere I'm not sure how he wins this now. Murray carrying on where he left off in the second set TB, hitting it nice and cleanly again.

You do wonder whether Gasquet's tactics in the first two sets of outlasting Murray in the long rallies were sensible, he surely can't have expected to keep that up over five sets?

Nore Staat wrote:When Murray wins this match (as surely he will?) then despite all his wobbles early in the tournament we can say he has done it again - basically reached the level his ranking and talent indicate he should reach.  Another semi-final in the French open - that would make four semi-finals and the third in a row.  I don't think he will make it to his first final but maybe next year?

His ranking should see him in the final. His talent? That's a difficult one to call against Stan. If they both play 6 or 7/10 I'd fancy Andy. But if Stan plays 9/10 I think he beats everyone on the tour, regardless of how his opponent plays. I think Stan would go in as favourite for that reason.

It would mean a great clay season for Andy, but I doubt he'll ever have a chance like this to win it. Roger and Rafa out, Novak tense and with a backlog of matches...

Gasquet blowing a gasket over the time violation given to him by the umpire.  Gasquet probably doesn't even realise he is slowing down.

To be fair Gasquet's routine of walking slowly to his towel, then to the ball-boy one side, then to the one on the other side, etc. was getting slightly irksome. Deserved TV for me...

Bit of silliness from Murray as he slips to 0-30 down, but recovers his first serve to rattle off four points and hold for 4-0.

Murray breaks again for 5-0. Gasquet actually saved four BPs in that game before succumbing (helped by a couple of bad Murray misses). The extent to which Gasquet's level has fallen off a cliff since the end of set 2 (mental? physical? both?) is pretty shocking TBH..

Murray actually serves out the set this time

Meanwhile Ramos-Vinolas and Wawrinka into a TB in set 3.

Murray just gained control of that set: mano a mano.  Gasquet is human he tires.  Murray the tank - well his focus on physical conditioning is paying off in this particular head to head.

Gasquet has not won a game since getting back to 6-6 in the second set.  He's most likely going to lose, but he's got to hold now to have any chance.

Well I wouldn't give Murray too much a chance given how much he has put his body through so far compared to Stan. However, certainly today he can only have himself to blame. He should have won the first set when he lead 5-3 but blew it and almost repeated the feat in the second set lengthening it by a good 20 minutes. Been highly entertaining stuff though.

I think Murray will at least match Wawrinka's fitness and may be betters it. It will be how Murray handles Wawrinka's power shots that will determine the outcome of the semi-final.