Andy Murray advanced to the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open after overcoming a hard test from Dominic Stricker. Murray, who defeated Stricker in the Rothesay Open quarter-finals on Friday, has yet to drop a set this week.
Murray got an edge over the 20-year-old by losing only one point behind his first serve in the first set. In spite of trailing 1-3 in the second set, he fought back to win a key break in the 11th game before winning the match in one hour and 48 minutes.
“Really, really tight match today against one of the best young players in the world. He has a really good game, huge shots from the back of the court but also a really nice touch up at the net,” Murray said in his on-court interview.
He also added that he thought in the first-set tie-break Dominic played really well and came up with some good passing shots to get him that tie-break. “In the second set, I think when I broke back immediately when he went 3-1 up, I think it gave me the momentum back and I felt like I was creating a lot of chances.” He added that’s the best he has played across the last 2 weeks in terms of how he hit the ball and that was really positive.
Nuno Borges, who defeated Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro 6-4, 6-4, is scheduled to take on the 36-year-old next. Borges won his best career title earlier this season when he won at the premiere Challenger 175 event in Phoenix.