Photo: Hiroshi Sato
Marcos pushed World No. 4 Andy Murray all the way, but was eventually beaten 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4 by the Scot in the first round of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships on Wednesday in Tokyo.
Like Marcos, Murray came into the match in a rich vein of form, having won his 19th ATP World Tour title last week in Bangkok. It was Marcos who made the better start to their fifth meeting, breaking to lead 2-0, but Murray responded immediately with the break back. Marcos had a set point chance in the 12th game, but could not convert and went on to lose the subsequent tie-break.
Marcos quickly put behind him the disappointment of his missed chances in the first set and raced to a 4-0 lead in the second set to level the match. He then capitalised on his momentum to gain an early break of serve in the third set. He could not maintain his lead, though, as Murray fought back to level in the sixth game before breaking Marcos again in a lengthy final game for victory in two hours and 33 minutes.
Marcos will now have a couple of weeks to practise before returning to action at the If Stockholm Open, which begins on 17th October.
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Go, Marcos!
