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29.07.2019 05:36
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Andy Murray will be required to conjure up more of his remarkable powers of recovery if he is to make it through to the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals on Friday. Having beaten Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori, the world No 1 only needs to win a set against Stan Wawrinka to guarantee his passage through to the semi-finals at the O2 Arena for the first time since 2012. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price But he will have to drag his weary body through another tough test as an explosive season finale draws ever closer. World No 3 Wawrinka showed much better form in beating Cilic on Wednesday than he had in his limp loss to Nishikori and the Swiss knows that a straight-sets win over Murray would maintain his record of always reaching the last four. Sky Live: Murray v Wawrinka Andy Murray takes on Stan Wawrinka at ATP World Tour Finals Nothing comes easy against the very best players in the world, let alone against the US Open champion who has suddenly clicked in London - something Sky Sports analyst Mark Petchey acknowledges.Wawrinka is always the wildcard in the pack, hes the guy that when hes confident, hes got the power to get through tough surfaces and he does a lot of things well, said Petchey. He moves better than people give him credit for and as I say it was an intelligent performance with the use of the slice. Its not just about the power and the showbiz tennis. Wawrinka beat Murray at the Tour Finals in London last year Friday will be the 17th meeting between the pair, with Murray leading the head-to-head record 9-7, and when they do clash, sparks usually fly.Wawrinka, who sealed his first major title at the 2014 Australian Open before winning an ATP Tour 500 and 1000 event, last faced the Scot in the French Open semi-finals.That was one of Murrays most impressive performances of the season and ended a run of three straight losses to Wawrinka, including at the O2 last year with qualification at stake. Murray also suffered a 6-1 6-2 defeat to Wawrinka at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2013 Wawrinka, who faces a battle to hold on to the world No 3 ranking, said: All I know is, if I want to have a chance to qualify, I need to win. Thats all Im trying to do.Im going to try to play my best tennis, to beat the world No 1. Its going to be a tough match. We played each other many times. The hardcourt surface at the O2 Arena will suit Wawrinkas heavy hitting style of game from both flanks, but hell have a job breaking down a resilient Murray. The 29-year-old is a totally different prospect to the one he faced in the US Open quarter-finals and Monte Carlo Masters in 2013.Arguably the most famous meeting between the two came under the Wimbledon lights in 2009 in a contest lasting three minutes short of four hours, which the Scot won in dramatic fashion. Could it more of the same on Friday? Mark Petchey and Greg Rusedski discuss Murray’s epic win over Nishikori and his chances against Wawrinka Obviously its going to be a tough match, said Petchey. Theyve had a lot of tough matches in the past and this will be another one.Andy is the form player right now and Im sure inside hes feeling pretty invincible every match he steps out on court. WATCH: Murrays double take Andy Murrays remarkable winner against Kei Nishikori was reminiscent of his winner in Rome Weve got a couple of guys out here who are Grand Slam champions who both believe they can win every single match they step out on court with, no matter who theyre playing, where theyre playing in the world, on what surface theyre playing in the world.So both of those players are going to go into that clash on Friday believing and knowing at the moment they still need to win it. Murrays service syndrome over? Andy Murrays service syndrome may be a thing of the past Should Murray win his group, he would play Milos Raonic in the semi-finals on Saturday in a repeat of their Wimbledon final and Australian Open semi-final. Let battle commence...Check our game-by-game coverage from all group matches at the ATP World Tour Finals in London - including Andy Murray v Stan Wawrinka on Friday afternoon - on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis. Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Murray beats Nishikori in epic WATCH: Murrays double take One of the best matches ever Wawrinka keeps hopes alive Custom Washington Wizards Jerseys . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Gilbert Arenas Jersey .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. http://www.cheapwizardsjerseyssale.com/kids-wes-unseld-wizards-jersey/ . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Washington Wizards Jerseys . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. John Wall Wizards Jersey . LOUIS -- St. NEW ORLEANS -- Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry confirmed Monday that?Jrue Holidays return to the team is imminent.Holiday missed the preseason and each game so far this regular season to tend to his wife, former USWNT soccer player Lauren Holiday, as she recovers from the birth of the couples first child and surgery to remove a benign tumor from the right side of her brain.Not anything definite, but its probably going to be at some stage within the week, for sure, Gentry said. Maybe within a couple days.The Pelicans are 2-9 this season, worst in the Western Conference, but the team has said throughout Holidays absence that there has been no pressure on him to rush back.All of the guys realize what hes been through and how tough its been for him, Gentry said ahead of Mondays matchup with the Boston Celtics. Not just the fact that hes going through the thing with his wife, but to have a newborn kid also is extremely tough. Thats why we wanted him to do it on his terms, when he felt comfortable enough to come back, so he could just play basketball and kind of not worry so much about everything else thats going on. He wasnt going to be able to do that until he was comfortable with his wife and comfortable with his kid.The Holidays have spent the opening of the season in Raleigh, North Carolina, area near the Duke Universsity medical specialists who handled the surgery for Lauren, a two-time gold medalist and 2015 World Cup winner.ddddddddddddA league source said?Holiday?is in great shape, but the Pelicans are expected to limit his minutes as he works his way back into game condition. The Vertical reported last week that Holiday was expected to return within the week.Holiday, 26, was limited to a combined 74 games in his first two seasons in New Orleans because of right leg injuries, but he broke through in 2015-16, averaging 16.8 points and six assists with a career-high 19.7 player efficiency rating in 65 games. His season was cut short after he fractured the orbital wall of his right eye during a game, but he did not miss a game because of his right leg, besides planned absences in the first half of the season.My family comes before basketball, Holiday told the Times-Picayune in early September. Im obviously blessed to play this game and be in the position I am in, but my wife is the most important thing in the world to me. She comes before anything else.New Orleans plays Wednesday in Orlando, followed by home matchups against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday and Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. ' ' ' |
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