DUBAI // A stirring 38-point tie-breaker that lasted 31 minutes, nearly three hours of incredibly audacious shots including screaming winners from the back of the court, teasing drops across the net and taunting lobs over the head, this match had it all.
If the fans had come to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium looking for entertainment last night, they got more than their money’s worth. Philipp Kohlschreiber, ranked No29 in the world, and world No1 Andy Murray, fought like gladiators before the Scot eventually clinched the match 6-7(4), 7-6 (18), 6-1, saving seven match points in that nail-biting second tie-break, one of the longest in ATP World Tour history.
Murray could scarcely celebrate, sinking into his chair after the match as he put his signature on the TV camera lens. Kohlschreiber, deservingly, received a loud and long standing ovation from the packed stadium as he left the arena.
“Never played a tie-break like that in my life and I’ll probably never play another one like that again,” said Murray after the near three-hour epic.
“I mean, I have been playing on the tour for 11, 12 years now, and nothing’s been close to that.
“Just happy to get through. It was an unbelievably tough match. I can’t remember everything exactly that went on out there, but there were definitely some unbelievable points in that second-set tie-break.
“Obviously we both missed a couple of shots, but in general, I think the level was extremely high.”
Together, they had 93 winners on the night – 42 from Murray and 51 from the German. The error count was 30 for Murray and 36 for Kohlschreiber.
“Obviously it was very rewarding to come through a match like that and obviously very pleased to get through it,” Murray said.
“I would have been very disappointed if I’d lost the second set, but also, I didn’t feel like I was playing badly.”
Kohlschreiber, however, had few regrets. “Of course, losing is always disappointing, but I’m not sad. I think I played great tennis, one of my best matches,” he said.
“OK, the result is sad, but the way I played, the way I enjoyed myself on the court, nothing to be sad about.
“Was just a great match, and I think the end with the spectators showed that everybody’s had a really great day.”
Earlier, Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco got the better of fourth seed Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-5 to set up a semi-final duel with Dutchman Robin Haase, who has been making his way back up the rankings after slipping to No98 last year.
Haase’s form and ranking had plummeted following the arrest of Mark de Jong – his coach since the end of 2014 – in March of that year in connection with the murder of millionaire businessman Koen Everink.
“It wasn’t easy, for sure,” said Haase, who booked his semi-final spot with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, as he talked about the weeks that followed De Jong’s arrest.
“I was struggling, especially the first couple of weeks, months even, mentally. I was on the court but not really.
“Actually, the first match I played was against Dzumhur [at the Monte Carlo Masters] after it happened. I lost 1 and 0 [2-6, 0-6], I think. I would have lost to anyone, even maybe on a Future level that day.
“It was so tough for me mentally, but I had the right people around me, and I got back. I got a new coach [Raymond Knapp], which I’m very happy.”
RESULT
Quarter-finals
■ [1] Andy Murray (GBR) beat Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-7(4), 7-6(18), 6-1
■ Robin Haase (NED) beat Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
■ Fernando Verdasco (ESP) beat [4] Gael Monfils (FRA) beat 6-3, 7-5
ORDER OF PLAY
CENTRE COURT (start 2.30pm)
■ G Garcia-Lopez (ESP)/L Paes (IND) vs R Bopanna (IND)/M Matkowski (POL)
Not Before 5pm
■ F Verdasco (ESP) vs R Haase (NED)
Not Before 7pm
■ [1] A Murray (GBR) vs [Q] E Donskoy (RUS) or [7] L Pouille (FRA)
■ [1] H Kontinen (FIN)/J Peers (AUS) vs [4] J Rojer (NED)/H Tecau (ROU) or P Kohlschreiber (GER)/F Mayer (GER)
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