Sweet Six Hundred

I'd like to start off today by saying guess what?! This is my 600th post here at Tennis From The Backseat. Yep, I have so much drivel to spout about tennis that I've sat down to do it six hundred times. Thank you for reading - it's been a pleasure. Hope you're still around by the time we crack 700! (Or, for that matter, 601).

Secondly, I would like to say tennis! oh sweet, glorious tennis! how I have missed having an actual match to talk about!

And thirdly, as Federer has just gone a set down to Verdasco, I would like him to know that I will be very very cross if he loses.

But that match is still in progress. Over to the one that has been completed. I pretty much said everything I wanted to say about the Murray/del Potro rivalry yesterday, but it's interesting to look at it in the context of an actual match. For those of you that don't know, Murray came out on top in this one, winning in three sets.

This takes the Murray/del Potro head-to-head to 5-1, which is not especially favourable if you're Juan. I've envisioned this as some great epic rivalry in the future, but it's not going to be that epic if JMDP insists on losing all the time - the nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah factor of 'I won my first Slam before you' only goes so far. The one time JMDP won was on clay - it'd be interesting to see how these two match up on hard courts in a Slam, in the wake of JMDP's US Open crown. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Full credit to Muzz for pulling this one out today - 6-2 in the third is a pretty decent effort! I didn't see the match, so I'd appreciate any commentary from someone who did - did the home crowd thing help or hinder Murray? I thought at Wimbledon it kind of hindered him, but maybe things are different under the dome...

...and Roger, if you lose, I'm warning you - I will be cross cross CROSS.


Today's Results

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals (London)

Andy Murray def. Juan Martin del Potro, 6-3 3-6 6-2