SHENZHEN, September 28, 2018
Fernando Verdasco headlined Friday’s quarterfinal action at the Shenzhen Open, knocking off Andy Murray 6-4, 6-4. The No. 5 seed from Spain struck 11 aces, winning 84 per cent of his first service points to advance in one hour and 39 minutes.
Final four for Fernando 🙌🇪🇸@FerVerdasco beats Andy Murray 6-4 6-4 to reach the #ShenzhenOpen semis. pic.twitter.com/6RWnT3jPBX
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) 28. September 2018
“Beating a player like Andy, it’s always a tough thing to do. You have to push yourself to the limit and you know that you have to play really, really good from the first point to the last point, because he’s always there, he’s always fighting… You really have to be focused the whole match,” Verdasco said after his third victory over the former World No. 1 in the pair’s 16th meeting.
“First set I think I had quite a few chances. Didn’t take them. When he had his opportunities he played well,” Murray said. “In the second set, he deserved to win. He served well. He was very aggressive from the back of the court and didn’t make too many mistakes.”
Verdasco, who also beat Murray in the second round of the US Open, will next take on Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan. The 23-year-old qualifier beat Cameron Norrie of Great Britain 7-6(2), 6-2 in one hour and 29 minutes.
Alex de Minaur edged past No. 4 seed Dami Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-3, 7-6(7). The #NextGenATP Australian capitalized on three of his eight break point chances to prevail after one hour and 42 minutes. De Minaur will face Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the stage of the final four. The unseeded Frenchman won a two hour and 40 minutes battle against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain 6-7(6), 7-6(1), 6-4.
