Like two marathon runners who have broken the pain barrier, the fateful 30-kilometer mark, but who can't see the finish line, Andy Murray and Tommy Robredo battled it out in the Ágora in Valencia until the British player fell in a heap on the floor without even the strength to raise his arms after a captivating victory in three hours and 30 minutes. Robredo, roared on by the crowd, had five match points but was eventually defeated 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 in the final of the ATP 500 event.
With the hard-fought victory, Murray has virtually assured himself of a place at the ATP World Tour Finals in London by rising to fifth place in the ATP Race standings. A marathon run of six weeks of competition sees the world number 10 going into the final Masters tournament of the year on the back of 18 victories in 19 games, with title wins in Shenzhen, Vienna and Valencia.
In the opening set, Robredo, the world number 21, took full advantage of his two break opportunities while Murray squandered six. In the second, Murray broke early and roared his desire for a fight back toward his team but allowed Robredo back into the set in the eighth game. Robredo carved out two match points in the tie-break, one on serve and another receiving, but Murray saved them both. Surely, the memory of the five he had held against the same opponent in Shenzhen passed through the Spaniard's mind. In China, Murray brought to end a title drought of 15 months after undergoing surgery on his back.
In the deciding set, the crowd rose to their feet to salute the two gladiators, fighting for breath and cramping up but with the finish line in sight. After swapping breaks again, a final tie-break ensued. Robredo, who will rise to number 16 in the standing on Monday, still could not find the killer blow as Murray fought against the loss, and his own body. Finally, when presented the opportunity, Murray put the match away and dropped to the court exhausted.
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