Sam's QF is under way, Luangnam serving first.

http://www.protennislive.com/frameset.asp?year=2012&wkno=47C&lang=en&tabno=1&eventid=4042&ref=www.dunlop-tennis.jp/

Game 1: Sam breaks to 30 straight away, aided by a DF from the Thai.

*1-0

Game 2: Sam had *40-15, but lost the next 4 points and is broken back.

1-1*

Game 3: Sam wins three straight points from 30-40* to break again, desite Luangnam serving at 86%. 

Could be one of those where the premium is on a hold, rather than a break.

*2-1

Game 4: Hold to 15 for Murray.

3-1*

Game 5: Nudnida holds to love.

*3-2

Game 6: Sam responds in kind, holds to love.

4-2* 

Game 7: a second Thai DF brings 3 BP's for Sam at 40-0*. Only one is needed to secure another break. Murray 3/3 on BP opportunities so far.

Time to wrap up the set now then...

*5-2

Game 8: Sam holds to 30 and closes out a mighty impressive first set with an Ace. She won 62% of the points. 

Another like that will do very nicely.

6-2

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Friday 23rd of November 2012 02:08:12 AM

Set 2
Game 1: Nudnida serving; holds to love.

*0-1

Game 2: Sam holds to 15, closing out again with an Ace, her third.

1-1*

Game 3: Sam can't exploit a third DF from Lunagnam, who holds to 30.

*1-2

Game 4: Sam holds to Love, closing out the game again with an Ace. Both players now serving over 77% in this set.

2-2*

Game 5: Luangnam gets 3 more 1st serves in a row in, but wins none of the points, and Murray has 3 more BP's. 

The Thai crumbles, and DF's to hand Murray the break. (4/4 on BP's for the match).

*3-2

Game 6: Another love game for Sam - just one point lost for her on serve in this set so far.

4-2*

Game 7: Luangnam holds to 15; all 5 first serves in.

Sam has been all over the Thai's 2nd serve in this match so far, Nudnida can only manage a paltry 27% of points won on second serve.

*4-3

Game 8: Yet another love service hold for Samantha, still just the solitary point lost in the set on her serve.

Luangnam serving to stay alive.

5-3*

Game 9: Nudnida had a slight wobble from 0-40* to 30-40*, but held on to force SAm to serve it out.

Come on, same as everything else this set, just nice easy service game... please?

*5-4

Game 10: Serving for the match then... and 58 ranking points.

Loses a couple of points in this service game, understandable tension, *30-30

Match point at *40-30... Ack deuce. Ack Adv Luangnam. Oh no! Broken!

The age old story of trying to find your normal game at critical moments. Still only lost 6 points on serve in the set so far, but crucially, 5 of them in one single game.

Regroup quickly...

5-5*

Game 11: Nudnida holds to 30. Having served for it and had a MP, Sam must now serve to send the second set to a breaker.

*5-6

Game 12: It's tougher than early in the seet for Sam now, as she fights, alternating points won and lost, to a game point at *40-30, deuce, Advantage Murray (2nd serve Ace to bring it up), and holds, and breathe!

Good focus there to come back after the disappointment.

The balance of play should favour Sam in the TB, but how has that body blow break affected her...

6-6 TB

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Friday 23rd of November 2012 02:49:45 AM

6-2 (5)6-7

Final set, come on Sam. Murray to serve first.

Game 1: The services aren't easy now, this is a real contest. Luangnam forces a BP at *30-40, denied - the first BP denied by either player in the match. Sam takes the next two points to hold.

*1-0

Game 2: Samantha makes a BP chance of her own at 40-30*, and takes it for the early lead in the decider. Will a single break be enough this time?

*2-0

Game 3: The Thai pressure on the Murray serve is now consistent, and Sam's 1st serve % has dropped, perhaps as a consequence.

2 more BP's for Luangnam, at *15-40, and the first is taken, to recover the break. That's fine, just break again then Sam!

2-1*

Game 4: Nudnida finds her first Ace, which contributes to a hold, to 30.

*2-2

Game 5: From *40-15, Sam loses the next 4 points, the final one her 2nd DF of the match, to be broken again, and go behind for the first time since 1-2 in the first set.

This is pretty agonising to watch right now. The delays whilst waiting for the scores to tick over are positively cruel.

2-3*

Game 6: Sam digging in for the fight though, with a break back point, at 40-30* Great stuff, as she converts to level us up again. Atta girl!

*3-3

Game 7: But the pattern is now set for the final set, both player under pressure on serve, and the Thai breaks again, quickly, to 15. Can Sam possibly respond again?

3-4*

Game 8: She'll give it a good go... two BP's at 40-15*, only one is required. Well done!

A hold now would be gargantuan.

*4-4

Game 9: *40-15, come on... hold, hold, hold, hold, hold. *40-30... Yes! A hold

Will the Thai nerve also hold?

5-4*

Game 10: 0-15*, 15-15*, 30-15*, 40-15* 2 more MP's for Sam after the one she had serving for it in the second set...

Go! Yaaaayyy!! She took the first.

GSM Murray!

6-2 (5)6-7 6-4

 

 

Exhausting!

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Friday 23rd of November 2012 03:41:07 AM

Not a "wow" result but a definite "well done"! She's upped her level to the point that this is not a surprise. Sam's opponents from here will all be tough. All we can hope for is a long 3 setter between Nara and Date to even up the odds a little. It wouldn't be a shock if Sam won again, but surely these 3 setters aginst better quality opponents must sap the energy and sooner or later it has to catch up. Fingers crossed once again. I was a little surprised that Barty didn't at least get a set off the Swiss in the top half of the draw. I can't see the result on flashscores, nor on the ATP/WTA app, but it appears Kimiko Date has won, as she has appeared as Sam's opponent in tomorrow's schedule. Slightly odd - a walkover perhaps, or maybe just a delay in reporting. At 42 you wouldn't begrudge Date a walkover at this point, but it wouldn't be in Sam's favour.

-- Edited by korriban on Friday 23rd of November 2012 08:35:26 AM

Oh I think that result deserves a little "wow", that's the fifth highest ranked opponent that Sam has ever beaten ( since that has moved in stages from initially 3rd to 5th because of my lack of observation, it's maybe no longer even a little wow   ) I guess though when you appear to have started beating top 300 players for fun and moved on to a top 100 player earlier in the week expectations do rise a bit. I did smile at the ( I trust tongue in cheek ) post earlier, after her win against the no 2 seed, that she woud be excused losing to the no 1 seed but don't be losing to any of those lower ranked players

It's especally impressive to come out again after what must have been a real high yesterday, against such a decently ranked player in pretty good form, and then tough out the match so well. 

Thanks as ever to IF for the commentary, quite a match to just read the points appraisal, I can appreciate that it must have been exhausting to follow at the time 

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 27th of November 2012 05:02:35 PM

Well, I was all ready for that to be done in about an hour, and a dominant performance for Sam 2 & 4. It didn't quite turn out that way though.
But, very impressed with Sam overall, served solidly, not spectacularly, but effectively, and for almost 2 sets she hardly lost as point. 6 aces and just 3 DF's is very tidy. Regular pressure on her opponents services, and good conversion of that pressure in to breaks.
Also, coming back from that second set TB, and being a break down in the third to finish strong against another higher ranked opponent.
Just fantastic, we'll excuse the probable nerves serving for it at *5-4 in that second set.

Already a great week for Samantha this is a very strong field this week, and she's already earned her points against 2 superiorly ranked players, including that win over Doi (gutted I missed that one!)

Kurumi Nara or Kimi up next, so will have to defeat another home-town favourite to make the final. But, why not? She's clearly found something, and long may she roll on it.

Well played Sam Murray, well played indeed