By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, March 14, 2016
Federico Delbonis fought back from a 1-4 deficit for a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3) Indian Wells victory over world No. 2 Andy Murray.
Photo credit: @BNPParibasOpen
Squinting into the high desert sun, Andy Murray could see the finish line looming before him.
Federico Delbonis made that destination a mirage.
Evert: PEDs Part of All Sports, Sharapova Should Release Medical Records
Fighting from 1-4 down in the decisive set, Delbonis leveled then won five consecutive points in the tie break capping a dramatic 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3) victory over an erratic Murray.
Knocking off the second-ranked Scot, Delbonis scored the biggest win of his career to advance to the Indian Wells fourth round for the first time.
Delbonis, who upset fifth-ranked Roger Federer on clay at the 2013 Hamburg tournament, raised his record to 3-5 vs. Top 10 opponents.
The 53rd-ranked Argentine will face either 13th-seeded Gael Monfils or Albert Ramos-Vinolas for a place in the quarterfinals.
Annoyed by Delbonis' delayed challenges, pushed back by the Argentine left-hander's swirling topspin forehand, berating himself after netted shots and betrayed by a broken string in the 11th game of the last set, Murray looked like a man fighting on multiple fronts throughout this match.
The two-time Grand Slam champion is one of the best returners in the game, but looked befuddled by the direction of Delbonis' serve at times. Delbonis served 68 percent and won 13 of 17 points played on his first serve building a one-set lead. Murray said he never felt comfortable going after his own serve.
"I got into winning position and didn't take it," Murray told the media afterward. "I think one of the reasons for that is because I didn't serve like I should serve. I would say my average first serve speed would have been 100, 105 miles an hour. I served no aces until twp hours 45 minutes. I obviously have the capability to serve 135 miles an hour, but, you know, just didn't feel comfortable going for my serve.
"I felt like every time I went for it I missed it. I didn't have control on that shot at all. You know, that would have been the part of the game that I could have done significantly better, in my opinion."
The gritty Indian Wells stadium one court elicits a high bounce that gave Delbonis, who's most dangerous on red clay, enough time to uncoil on his forehand strikes. Delbonis hit harder and deeper through most of the first two sets.
"I think he moved better than what I thought," Murray said. "I found it difficult to hit many winners, you know, and a lot of times I felt like I was hitting good shots and he was tracking them down and defending well. But I knew that he liked these conditions. Obviously the ball bounces up high like on the clay courts and it's lively, so when you play with heavy topspin, you know, it suits that style a bit here. I expected him to be tough, for sure. But he moved better than maybe what I expected."
Facing break point at 4-all in the second set, Murray slide a 108 mph serve wide, cracked an inside-out forehand then raced forward for a fine touch forehand volley to erase break point.
Revived, Murray navigated a dangerous game exhorting himself with a loud "come on!" snatching a 5-4 lead after teetering on the ledge of a fatal break.
Sculptor's feel helped Murray carve out the critical break. Racing forward, Murray countered a drop shot with a gentle re-drop winner. Targeting the Argentine's backhand, Murray wrong-footed Delbonis for break point then ended a long rally drawing the error and seized the second set on a break.
Hitting with more control, Murray broke for 3-1 when Delbonis stiff-armed a backhand into the net, then stretched the lead to 4-1.
Delbonis wasn't done.
Murray blasted a backhand crosscourt then caressed a soft backhand drop volley, but Delbonis read the direction, sped to the ball and lifted a backhand pass for break point wearing the wide smile of a man happy his hard effort paid off. A spooked Murray double-faulted to hand back the break. Delbonis backed up the break to level at 4-all.
In the 11th game, Murray snapped a string in the midst of a rally and netted a shot with the disabled racquet. Serving down break point with fresh racquet, Murray spun a 77 mph second serve into box, but Delbonis gagged pushing a forehand return into the middle of the net. Then it was Murray's turn to tighten. He shoveled a forehand into net for a second break point. Hitting heavier topspin to drive the Scot back several feet behind the baseline, Delbonis drew the error off a deep forehand drive to break for 6-5.
Serving for the match, Delbonis saved a pair of break points, including the first on a blistering 131 mph ace out wide on the first and a serve winner on the second. A shanked forehand gave Murray a third break point. This time the anxious Argentine uncorked a forehand that sailed as Murray forced the decisive tie breaker.
Leading 3-2 in the breaker, Murray lost the range completely missing his most reliable shot, the two-handed backhand, twice then flattening a forehand into net to give Delbonis three match points. He needed only one ending a two hour, 46-minute struggle to post the biggest win of his career.