The 35-year-old Andy Murray is still capable of producing incredible comebacks and turnarounds, doing that since the start of the season. Andy is through to his fifth final at the ATP 250 event in Doha, fending off five match points versus the young Czech Jiri Lehecka in a 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 victory.
Murray needed two and a half hours to overcome the rival and advance to his 71st ATP final, the first since Stuttgart last year. Andy won three points more and defended five out of eight break points. The Briton grabbed five return games, but only two after the opener, losing the second set but prevailing in the decider to set the title clash against Daniil Medvedev.
Lehecka squandered game points at the start of the match and experienced a break. Andy came from 40-0 behind in game two to bring the game home, confirm the advantage and settle into a fine rhythm. Jiri netted a volley in the third game to fall further behind, and Andy grabbed the next one at 30 for a 4-0 lead.
Andy Murray is through to his fifth Doha final after a thriller.
The more experienced player delivered another break in game five and held a few minutes later to earn a bagel and close the set after 32 minutes. Lehecka restored his strokes in the second set, producing three comfortable holds and keeping the pressure on the other side.
The Czech forced the Briton’s error in the second game to secure a break and move 2-0 in front. Lehecka saved two break points in game seven to open a 5-2 gap and move closer to the set. The young gun held at 30 in game nine with a service winner to introduce a decider after an hour and 14 minutes.
They traded breaks in games three and four, and Jiri grabbed another at love at 2-2 with a brilliant backhand crosscourt winner. The Czech served well in games six and eight to forge a 5-3 advantage and move closer to the finish line.
Murray served to stay in the match in game nine and faced two match points. He defended them and held to reduce the deficit and prolong the battle. Jiri served for the victory at 5-4 and earned three match points with a forehand crosscourt winner at the net.
Andy saved the first with a sharp forehand and denied the second with a backhand that forced the rival’s mistake. Murray caused another error from Lehecka to erase the third match point, gathering a boost and breaking back after the opponent’s loose forehand.
The set went into a tie break, and they stayed close to each other until 5-5. Lehecka saved the first match point at 5-6 with a forehand winner, and Murray earned the second at 7-6. The Briton clinched it following the Czech’s loose volley to emerge at the top and celebrate a notable victory.
