By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 9, 2016
Top-seeded Andy Murray continued his mastery of Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 7-6 (2), to capture his 40th career title at the China Open.
Photo credit: Getty/China Open
Andy Murray realized his sweaty march to a milestone with a glittering golden shower.
Grigor Dimitrov brought some dazzling inspiration, including the flying tweener in the ninth game of the second set, but Murray delivered sustained high-quality tennis from the first ball in Beijing.
More: Kyrgios Fights Past Goffin For Tokyo Title
The top-seeded Murray broke to open the match and survived a slight stumble serving for the title with a superb tiebreak sealing a 6-4, 7-6 (2) victory in the China Open final.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist bathed in a shower of golden confetti after completing a flawless week to capture his 40th career title. Murray is the 16th man to reach the 40 title mark and fourth active player to do it, joining Roger Federer (88 titles), Rafael Nadal (69) and Novak Djokovic (66).
"It was a great week for me," said Murray. "Today's match I think was a very high level match. Grigor fought right to the end and made it extremely tough to finish it in two sets. It's been an excellent week. I'm looking forward to Shanghai."
Though he served just 49 percent, Murray dictated play on first serve and shook off jittery failure to serve out the championship with a convincing tie break.
Murray did not drop a set collecting his fifth tournament title of the season. The 29-year-old Scot raised his 2016 finals record to 5-4 defeating Dimitrov for the eighth time in 11 meetings.
This match was a microcosm of Dimitrov's career: He delivers flashes of audacious shotmaking to test top players, but doesn't quite sustain the high notes for a complete match. Dimitrove produced patches of brilliance today, but his forehand failed him in the tie break.
Still, he can look back on his trip to his first China Open as a sucess, including his first career victory over second-seeded Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.
"I'm just glad that I fought so hard this this tournament," said Dimitrov, who took a walkover into the final after Milos Raonic was forced out with an ankle injury. "Obviously, Andy's one of the toughest competitors out there, no doubt, and all credit to him today."
Dani Vallverdu, Dimitrov's current coach who formerly coached Murray, watched from the support box as his charge won the toss and elected to serve.
The 25-year-old Bulgarian did not match Murray's intensity out of the blocks.
Leaning low, Murray scooped a tremendous running backhand pass for triple break point in the opening game. A tight Dimitrov double faulted into the net as Murray broke to open the match.
Charging forward, Murray rapped a forehand on the rise to consolidate. Hammering an ace and a heavy serve winner, Murray stamped a love hold for 3-1.
Barking at himself between points, Murray staved off break point in the sixth game.
Turning his shoulders into his shots with more intensity, Dimitrov warded off a pair of break points withstanding the longest game of the match with a hard-fought hold for 3-4. Despite serving a meager 29 percent in the first set, Murray served out the set at 15. He won seven of eight first-serve points cruising comfortably through the opener.
Turbulence struck again in the third game of the second set. Dimitrov netted a backhand to face break point then pressed his finger to his temple like a man trying to rub out a migraine.
Instead, Dimitrov produce some audacious dazzle spinning a drop shot winner right off the sideline navigating the pressure to hold for 2-1.
Though he wasn't landing his first serve frequently, Murray did slam several first serves with authority.
The two-time Wimbledon champion dominated on his first serve; Dimitrov could have considered altering his return position a bit, but it may not have mattered much. Slashing a 130 mph serve wide, Murray held at 30 for 2-all.
All-court agility is a Dimitrov asset. The 6'3" Bulgarian is one of the few players in the world who can consistently hang with Murray in running rallies.
However, Murray's oppressive court-coverage played with Dimitrov's mind compelling him to overplay his forehands at time. He scattered a pair of loose forehands in succession donating the break and a 3-2 lead.
Deadlocked at 30-all in the next game, Dimitrov brain-cramped stopping play to challenge a Murray shot on the baseline. Pacing nervously behind the baseline, Dimitrov's reaction revealed he knew it was a poor challenge. Hawk-Eye showed the ball struck the middle of the baseline and Murray jolted an ace closing a tight game and consolidate.
Serving for the title, Murray wobbled.
Outdueled in a pulsating 43-shot rally to open the 10th game, Murray badly bungled a routine forehand swing volley, spraying a shot beyond the doubles alley to drop serve at love.
After one hour, 43 minutes, Dimitrov earned his first break for 5-all.
A revived Murray thumped through a love hold to force the tie break. Murray turned up the intensity and showed his ball-control skills in the breaker.
Sliding into a shot on the baseline, Dimitrov framed a forehand into the crowd then misfired on a routine forehand approach down the line to fall behind 4-1.
Trying to force the forehand closer to the lines, Dimitrov sprayed successive forehands as Murray closed an impressive effort in one hour, 57 minutes, raising his 2016 record to 60-9.
"I've lost quite a few matches this year, but it's been for sure the most consistent of my career," Murray said. "I've managed to get into the latter stages of most events I've played. It's been a great atmospheree today."
The world No. 2 earned the $663,575 champion's and 500 ranking points closing the gap on top-ranked Novak Djokovic, who is scheduled to face Fabio Fognini in his Shanghai Rolex Masters opener next week.