TENNIS FRENCH OPENANDY MURRAY'S high hopes of reaching the second week of the French Open were crushed into the red dirt of Roland Garros by Nicolas Almagro yesterday afternoon, the 22-year-old Spaniard winning 6-3 6-7 6-3 7-5 after the 10th-seeded Scot had fought back from a slow start to lead 3-1 in the third set. Neither player had reached this stage of the tournament before but Almagro's greater general experience on this surface proved conclusive.
"I think that I've proved I'm a good clay-court player," said Murray. "You could see the way he reacted. He knew how tough I was to beat. I'm going to become one of the top players on clay in a couple of years."
He added that his goal was now to win the Wimbledon title.
"I believe that if I play my best tennis I can this year, though for sure Roger Federer is the favourite."
There is obviously nothing wrong in being confident, but Murray had earlier said he expected to make it through to at least the last 16 here, so to talk of winning at Wimbledon might be seen as just a touch premature. As yet, for all his talk of winning grand slams, he has not reached a quarter-final in 10 attempts.
Almagro had more clay-court victories than anybody coming into the French Open, including titles in Brazil and Mexico. If there was a slight shadow over him it was a right wrist injury he picked up during the Italian Open that forced him to miss the next Masters Series event in Hamburg.
Murray was quickly 3-0 down in the first set as his first serve malfunctioned. There is little subtle about Almagro's approach; he hits it big on forehand and backhand and has a fierce first serve. He has also developed an effective second serve, delivered with the sort of spin that sends the ball kicking up well over shoulder height.
Murray is a thinker. He clearly knew when and where to attack but initially he could not quite find his range and chivvied himself from the back of the court. This was an entirely different level from his previous match, against Argentina's Jose Acasuso, the Spaniard's ground strokes being much more penetrative and occasional positively venomous.
Court seven is cramped and was gently baking in the hottest sun of the first six days. It seemed perfect for Almagro, who has ground out his formative days on the moving surface, but at 2-1 in the second set Murray had three break points and was furious with himself when he failed to take them.
It might have been worse when his own serve came under pressure at 4-4 but suddenly he found his first-service range, enabling him to enter the second set tie-break with confidence. A brilliant running forehand cross-court winner was negated by a double fault but Murray had the bit between his teeth and two aces sped him to a 7-3 conclusion.
The Scot went 3-1 up in the third set, Almagro showing signs of beginning to fret. Prior to this year his temperament has worked against him in tight matches. During a Davis Cup tie in Peru, the Spanish captain, Emilio Sanchez, told him he needed to rein in his emotions. The advice was heeded and he began a run of success that has propelled him into the top 20.
Murray had to increase the pressure but just when he most needed to turn the screw he lost his concentration. Suddenly the Spaniard was all over him, and he wilted.
"I've never felt like this, never," Murray complained, only to perk up remarkably. He saved a match point on his own serve at 5-4 in the fourth set and then broke back to level. Huge was the roar in front of his team, but minutes later he slung his cap on to the clay as Almagro hit back. And this time it was the end.
Guardian Service
