Jonny Marray & Freddie Nielsen qualify for Semi Finals
7th November 2012
Briton Jonny Marray & Dane Freddie Nielsen have sealed their place in the semi-finals of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals after a close three set win over the reigning champions.
Marray & Nielsen defeated second seeds Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Daniel Nestor of Canada 7-6(3), 4-6, 12-10 at The O2 arena to become the first doubles pairing through to the final four on Sunday.
On moving through into the semi-finals, Nielsen commented: "We were aware of the fact we were underdogs, the lowest ranked team, a special exempt due to a loophole in the rules. That's obviously something different. At the same time we're comfortable being here level-wise. We weren't here just to make up the numbers."
In the opening set, play stayed with serve until the seventh game when at a sudden death deuce, 29 year-old Nielsen hit the ball past a storming Nestor to take the break and the lead.
At 5-4 Marray found himself having to serve for the match but a wide backhand allowed the defending champions to break back and stay in the set.
Once back on serve, play went into a tie-break which saw a comfortable Marray & Nielsen win after an ace out wide on the advantage side from 31 year-old Marray.
"I thought they served well actually" said Marray after the match. "I thought we did well to get the break in the first set, then I actually put in a bit of a soft game to lose my serve serving at 5-4. I thought Freddie played well at the end of the first set to pull us through the tie-break."
An early break at the beginning of the second set gave Mirnyi & Nestor the cushion they needed to even the encounter and take play into a match tie-break.
A tense match tie-break followed which Marray & Nielsen stayed out in front of for the majority. A rat-a-tat exchange at the net saw the 2012 Wimbledon Champions take a 7-5 lead, but the mini break was squandered after Marray missed a crucial volley.
At 9-8 Marray & Nielsen found themselves with a match point after Marray hit another well-timed ace out wide. However the Belarusian/Canadian duo defended well and set up a match point of their own for 10-9. A brave Nielsen saved the point and kept the match alive by hitting a winner smash.
Finally Marray & Nielsen sealed the win 12-10 when Nestor pushed his volley long.
Speaking about appearing in the final four on Sunday, Marray said: "We can enjoy the next match really. There's no pressure on us again really. It's really a great situation, I think."
In the last singles of the day Jo-Wilfred Tsonga will play Tomas Berdych