World number four Andy Murray laid down a marker for the Australian Open with a 65-minute demolition of Alexandr Dolgopolov in the final of the Brisbane International yesterday.
Murray, runner-up at Melbourne Park for the past two years as he chases his first Grand Slam, showed no mercy against the number 15 from Ukraine as he cruised to the title 6-1, 6-3 in the Pat Rafter Arena.
With former great Ivan Lendl watching on for just the second time since being appointed Murray’s surprise new coach, the Scotsman’s emphatic performance got their high-profile partnership off to a flying start.
The top seed was lethal in all departments as he dominated Dolgopolov, a player who pushed him to four close sets in the Australian Open quarter-finals last year but who took a slight groin injury into the final.
“I served pretty well again, it got close in the second set but I stayed focused,” Murray said, with the first Grand Slam of the year barely a week away.
“He started going for his shots and hit quite a few winners but I didn’t let it get to me.”
Murray started the week slowly and struggled to win his first two matches, against Mikhail Kukushkin and Gilles Muller. But he hit top gear from then on, easily accounting for Marcos Baghdatis in the quarter-finals and Bernard Tomic in the semis before his impressive display against Dolgopolov.
“I played much better the last three matches for sure,” Murray said. “I could easily have lost the second round against Muller but I managed to fight my way through and play three very good matches.
“I felt like I was moving well right at the end of the week and hopefully the next few days before Melbourne go well.”
Dolgopolov, who has been troubled by a slight groin injury he picked up in his semi-final against Gilles Simon, acknowledged he had been outplayed and apologised to the crowd for playing “boring tennis”. “I couldn’t move very well on the right leg and it was tough to go right and push forward,” he said.
“I just tried to do my best and stay on the court because the stadium was full and you don’t want to pull out of something like that.
“But you also don’t want to get injured so it was a fine line to keep healthy and not get worse and stay out there and play some tennis.
“I did what I can and I’m happy with my week.”
Murray now heads to Melbourne, where his only outing before the Australian Open will be an exhibition match at the Kooyong Classic.
Chennai Open
Big-serving Milos Raonic enhanced his reputation as one of the hottest young stars in men’s tennis when he won the ATP Chennai Open title yesterday in a nail-biting encounter.
The 21-year-old Canadian, named the ATP’s newcomer of 2011 for jumping from 156 to 31 in the rankings, overcame world number nine and top seed Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4).
The six feet five inches (196cm) tall Raonic blasted 35 aces against Tipsarevic’s eight to win only his second career title after a rousing final that lasted three hours and 13 minutes.
Auckland Classic final: Zheng Jie (China) bt Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 2-6, 6-3, 2-0 (retired).