Andy Murray credited his most favourable match conditions of the week with helping through to a 7-6(4), 6-3 upset of Stuttgart top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Friday for a semi-final win.
Britain’s three-time Grand Slam champion finally got to the court on a calm day, with none of the wind which had made his first two victories a major challenge.
The No. 68 put further polish on his pre-Wimbledon form with the defeat of the fifth-ranked Greek – his first win over a Top five player since 2016.
Former number one Murray duplicated his showing from a week ago when he reached the final four of the Surbiton Challenger in London.
Tsitsipas saved two Murray match points in the penultimate game, with the Scot finishing off victory a game later with a winner down the line on his third winning chance.
Murray said his strategy was to try and control the match. “It was important for me to serve well and get opportunities to dictate the points – I did that well today.
“Today it was much easier to play, conditions were consistent throughout the whole match. This was my best serving performance of the week.”
The Scot said that paying in front of crowds on a regular basis now is a big morale-booster as he makes the quick-change over to grass.
“I always feel comfortable on grass, it’s always been a quick transition for me.
“Getting match wins builds confidence – I hope I can keep going this week.”
Main photo:- Andy Murray beating Tsitsipas in Stuttgart today – by ATPTour.com