Brisbane International: Andy Murray Books Quarter Final Place With Win Over Gilles Muller

ANDY MURRAY continued to do it the hard way as he reached the last eight of the Brisbane International with a three-set win over Gilles Muller today.

The British number one went a set down for the second day in succession after a woeful final service game, but levelled after a second-set tie-break.

And he rampaged through the final set without dropping a game to complete a 4-6 7-6 (7/4) 6-0 success and set up a quarter-final against Marcos Baghdatis.

Muller comfortably held his opening service game and Murray responded in kind, despite double-faulting on his first game point.

Murray forced the match's first break point in game three but his opponent produced a big serve and went on to hold.

The match remained on serve as far as 3-3 and, though Muller was taken to multiple deuces in his next service game, he prevailed to move 4-3 up.

Murray followed his fifth ace with his second double fault but comfortably pulled level again, but he was left serving to stay in the set after Muller held once more.

And he was broken to love as Muller made the most of his increasingly dominant groundstrokes to close out the set 6-4.

While Murray's 64% first-serve success rate was solid, he had won just two of nine points on his second, exacerbated by those two doubles.

But he responded well to going a set behind, breaking in the first game of the second set courtesy of a superb return on second serve.

He defended the break and then pegged Muller back from 40-15 to deuce, but this time the Luxembourg player held firm.

And he broke back in the fourth game, with the aid of a fortunate cross-court winner off his backhand, and then held for a 3-2 lead.

An ace settled his next service game in his favour as the set score reached 4-3 and Murray was forced to dig deep when trailing 15-40 in the next game, two big serves denying Muller the chance to serve for the match.

It meant the world number four would instead have to serve to stay in it, but he did so to make it 5-5. A love hold for Muller forced him to repeat the feat, but he duly set up a tie-break and claimed an early mini-break.

Muller twice netted before Murray moved 6-2 up with an outlandish backhand winner, and he took his third set point to take the match into a decider.

He raced to a love hold in the opening game and followed it with another early break en route to a 3-0 lead.

A second break and a hold from 0-30 down meant Muller was the one serving to stay in the match - and he was unable to do so, Murray completing a final-set whitewash to seal a quarter-final spot.

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Perth Tourism News: The Hopman Cup is to Stay in Perth

THE official with the job of securing the operational rights of the Hopman Cup for Tennis Australia yesterday guaranteed the tournament's future remained in Perth.

Tennis Australia's commercial director Steve Ayles dismissed fears the national body, which has submitted a detailed proposal to the International Tennis Federation amid a review of the tournament, had any desire to downgrade or delete the event should it win the managerial rights.

He said Tennis Australia would happily accept any contractual requirements that would require the Hopman Cup, which will move from the Burswood Dome to the new Perth Arena next year, to be played in Western Australia under its current format.

"We have no interest in moving the week. We have no interest in moving the location," Ayles said.

"From our perspective it is an event that Perth really supports, really gets behind.

"We only have an interest in growing it, making it bigger and integrating it in with the Western Australian tennis community more than it currently is."

He questioned suggestions the field would be weakened if Tennis Australia, which runs the Brisbane International in the same week, were successful in its bidding.

Ayles said the Hopman Cup's history of hosting future winners of the Australian Open ensured quality players would always consider it an option.

Tournament director and founder Paul McNamee has lured 24 top-ranked players to Perth in its 24-year history.

"First of all, the players choose where they go for their preparation. Some players like the more relaxed nature of the Hopman Cup and some players prefer the more intense tour competition," Ayles said.

"The players will choose the best pathway to give them the best opportunity to win the Australian Open. That is what the Hopman Cup is about. That is what Brisbane is about . . . that is what those events do.

"Just look at the fields this year for both of the events. They have both attracted great fields and there is no reason why we can't grow that."

The Tennis Australia guarantee comes as McNamee yesterday said he feared for the future of the long-running event if the ITF chose to change management.

McNamee transferred ownership rights to the ITF, which is expected to decide on the rights to the tournament at a meeting in March, in 2002 in the belief it would secure its long-term future.

"I've been heavily involved since the beginning. I love the tournament," McNamee he said.

"There always needs to be transition and succession and everything else. That's normal. But I feel like I've earned the right to have a say in that transition."

The Hopman Cup is to Stay in Perth

No Longer a Work in Progress, Stosur Returns as a Star

Last year, when Sam Stosur began her campaign at the Brisbane International, her second round departure would be a harbinger for a meagre showing over coming weeks. At least she escaped before the rain engulfed centre court.

Defeat in her home town was followed by a third-round exit at the Australian Open in Melbourne. It was a disappointing return following an undisputed breakout season, where she made the final of the French Open and raised the expectations of Australian fans who hadn't hailed a female Grand Slam champion since Evonne Goolagong in 1980.

Even so, her near thing at Roland Garros didn't mean she was the star attraction in her home city's event. Her doubters remained to be convinced and with players of the quality of Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin in the draw, Stosur wasn't to enjoy top billing.

Last night, the reigning US Open champion star strode out onto Pat Rafter Arena like she owned the place, confidently surging past Anastasiya Yakimova 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the second round in Brisbane.

She floated on a surge of emotion from a sold-out crowd that gave the top seed and world number six the most rousing of receptions. Stosur dismantled Yakimova with power and precision in the first set, before overcoming some rust and resistance in the second to advance to the next round, where she will face Czech Iveta Benesova.

If Stosur was nervous – and she said she was – she's one hell of a poker player. In the opening games, she peeled off winner after winner. From that point, with Yakimova clearly outgunned, it was always just a matter of time.

Stosur looked assured, focused and in total control of her game. She played like a woman who has finally found the missing piece to a puzzle she has been trying to complete since she was a teenager.

Brisbane's event has been elevated up the WTA food chain and the women's draw is stronger than ever. The presence of Serena Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Clijsters and Andrea Petkovic has given organisers more than enough marketing ammunition.

Fans crowded into Pat Rafter Arena to see Samantha Stosur play last night. Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

But it is Stosur they came to see. The same tennis fans who were glued to their screens as Stosur soared – and Williams exploded – in New York last year paid up to get their seats to watch the show in the flesh.

“It's always nice to come home, play in front of a home crowd; where I'm from in Brisbane, a full house. If you're going to come out and play another match, why not start it like that?” Stosur said.

I've been looking forward to coming out and getting the year started so I'm happy with the way the first one went.”

Things have changed since Stosur upset Williams to win the US Open and the result has been a huge boost for tournament organisers. A crowd of 12,595, which was a record for any day of any year of the event, was testament to how much Stosur's dramatic victory has rekindled the interest of Australian tennis fans.

“Always when I come home, I get a great reception. Whether I'm in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, it's always a nice experience. Now I get recognised a lot more and more people know who I am and want to come out and watch. It probably shows – a first round, night session, it's pretty much sold out. The atmosphere was great,” Stosur said.

“If that's the impact that a player can have on a home tournament, then that's fantastic. I think, when you've got a player that's doing well, it feeds down.

“There are not many tournaments in the world that you can go to and you have a sold-out first couple of days. It shows how popular tennis is becoming again in Australia. To have a crowd like that first day, it can't get any better.”

Stosur has had little choice to embrace the big picture and her growing celebrity but she remains focused on improving her record in Australia, starting in Brisbane. She has never been past the second round but beat Benesova twice last year, in Rome and Paris.

She looks in immaculate physical shape and has clearly put in a rigorous pre-season to give herself every opportunity to fire. She did that last night, being aggressive from the first ball and continuing her attack even as she fended off five break points in the seventh game of the second set.

“I've done everything I possibly could to get in the best shape I can be. My pre-season went very well. I really felt like I was ready to start. What I learned over the past few years has really made me aware of what I need to get done,” Stosur said.

“Hopefully this will mean I'll stay fitter and stronger and healthier for the whole year.”

Shoulders loosened and homecoming match complete, Stosur is on her way to what she hopes are big things on friendly courts. That could include a semi-final against Williams at this event if the pair keeps winning.

For that rematch, they might have to build an extra stadium.

Quality Brisbane Accommodation available at Metro Hotel Tower Mill

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/no-longer-a-work-in-progress-stosur-returns-as-a-star-20120103-1pitk.html#ixzz1iLgmB82V

Stosur Confident for Australian Open

Samantha Stosur is confident she can handle the pressure of expectation at next month's Australian Open, following her maiden major triumph in the US Open.

Currently ranked sixth in the world, Stosur has never advanced beyond the fourth round of her home grand slam.

The 27-year-old Queenslander said she had no problems with the court and conditions in Melbourne and there was no reason why she could not do well next month.

"I think if most players could choose to have a grand slam in their home country, they would want to have one, so I'm lucky that I do and we've got these great lead-up tournaments (in Brisbane and Sydney)," Stosur said.

"Obviously it's a little bit different, maybe a little more pressure and a bit more spotlight but I think I am equipped to handle it well and hopefully I can and really make the most of the opportunity."

Stosur said she would love the accolade of becoming the world's number-one ranked player but was not specifically focusing on that.

Stosur said she wanted to be more consistent in 2012 and was working on improving several aspects of her game.

She wants to try to get to the net more and finish points faster.

She has put her hand up for Fed Cup duty in February against Switzerland and is also prepared to play in all three disciplines - singles, doubles and mixed doubles - at next year's London Olympics.

Among her goals for 2012 are recording her first win over three other leading players, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova and Kim Clijsters.

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Perth Tourism News: Tennis Stars Coming to Perth for Hopman Cup

Tennis fans are in for a star studded treat at this summer's Hyundai Hopman Cup XXIV, with one of the best fields ever assembled in the tournament's 24-year history. Caroline Wozniacki, who has held the number one ranking for the past year, is coming to Perth for the first time, along with three of the top seven ranked women players and two of the top 10 men.

The line-up also includes three Grand Slam event winners such as Petra Kvitova, Li Na and Lleyton Hewitt, as well as some of the rising stars of tennis. The tournament will be held from December 31, 2011 to January 7, 2012 at the Burswood Dome. The State Government, through Eventscorp, is a founding sponsor of the Hopman Cup and last year put in place a new four-year sponsorship agreement until 2014.

Tennis Stars Coming to Perth for Hopman Cup