Asia hat-trick sees Murray climb into world’s top three

ANDY Murray this morning sits proudly ahead of the great Roger Federer in the world rankings for the first time in his career after a triumph at the Shanghai Masters gave him his third title of a highly memorable October and hoisted him to No 3 in the world.

The autumn Asian swing on the ATP tour has been one of remarkable success for the Scot, but three titles in 15 days – each of them won on successive Sundays – has not quite satisfied Murray, and now the objective is to bring his year to a glorious end in London.

Murray may have drawn criticism for his temperament under pressure in the past, but he has pushed himself hard physically and mentally over the past three weeks, and produced impeccable results.

He began his hat-trick run by thrashing American Donald Young to triumph in Bangkok, then when demolishing Rafael Nadal 6-0 in a deciding set of the Japan Open final, and yesterday in bringing down David Ferrer at the climax of the Shanghai Masters. Murray also enjoyed a doubles triumph in Japan where he partnered brother Jamie to the title.

He won 7-5, 6-4 against Ferrer yesterday and moves into the top three in the rankings announced today, nudging in front of Federer.

The 30-year-old from Switzerland has been ever-present since pouching the first of his 16 grand slam titles at Wimbledon in 2003, but Murray has five titles this year to Federer’s one. The rankings tell an unmistakable truth.

Of course Murray remains without a grand slam to his name, unlike Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal ahead of him and Federer, all multiple winners.

Murray can do nothing about that in 2011, but the 24-year-old Scot can finish the year in style in front of a British crowd at the end-of-term ATP World Tour Finals in late November.

“The goal is to play well at the O2 and try to go further than I have before,” Murray said. “I’ll do everything I can to get ready for that.”

For now Murray needs a break, and he plans to use the week ahead to rest and recharge, having been left exhausted by not only a hectic schedule of matches in the past three weeks, but also the travelling involved.

“It’s been one of the best runs of my life,” Murray said at the trophy presentation ceremony, his second in a row in Shanghai after beating Federer 12 months ago.

“I’ve played very, very well in the last few weeks. I was very nervous today because I wanted to win and defend my title but I’m very happy I came through.”

Prior to yesterday’s final Murray and Ferrer were separated by just one place in the rankings, but the Scot - arguably in the form of his life just now - was the heavy favourite coming into the match, and he never looked like allowing the odds to be upset.

Murray had won all four of his previous matches against the Spaniard on hard courts, including two this year - in the semi-finals of the Japan Open last week and in the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

Murray was winning his eighth Masters-level tournament overall and his second of the year after Cincinnati, while Ferrer was attempting to win his first Masters tournament.

The fifth-ranked Ferrer had rallied in his last three matches after losing the first set – saving three match points against Juan Carlos Ferrero in the third round – but he couldn’t manage it against Murray, whom he has never beaten on hard courts.

Murray got an early boost by breaking Ferrer’s serve in the first game of the match, but the Scot gave the advantage right back by making a string of unforced errors to drop serve in the next game.

Both players then began to find their strokes, engaging in lengthy rallies from behind the baseline with sharply angled forehands and slice backhands - a style of play more suited to Ferrer, the clay-court specialist.

But serving at 5-5, Ferrer hit two shots into the net and then double-faulted – missing the second serve by more than a foot – to give Murray the break. The Scot hit two aces in the next game to close out the set.

Ferrer dropped his serve immediately to start the second set, but again, Murray squandered the break, double-faulting twice to drop serve himself, slamming a ball off the court in anger afterward.

The Spaniard’s momentum was halted in the third game, however, when he missed an easy overhead into the net to give Murray another break. He only won five more points on Murray’s serve the rest of the way.

“I was really happy with the way I stayed focused,” Murray said. “It’s hard to explain. It’s almost you’d think the more matches you win, the less pressure you feel. I was hitting the ball well, but there’s still a little bit of tension because you want to try and keep the run going.”

The No 3 ranking has been one of Murray’s main goals for the end of the year and has visibly spurred him on. In addition to this month’s three titles, he has also won 25 of 26 matches since mid-August, the only loss coming to Nadal in the semi-finals of the US Open. How Murray must rue the fact there is no Grand Slam imminent, with the 2012 Australian Open in January his next shot at finally snaring a slam.

So far he has fallen at the final hurdle in Australia (twice) and at the US Open. This year his consistency has been impressive, reaching the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams.

Federer, who will finish a season without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2002, is expected to return for the Swiss Indoors in Basel but still has to defend a number of after winning the in London last year.

“I’m still not guaranteed to finish at No 3. I’m still going to have to win some more matches,” Murray said. “But if you finish in front of Federer in a year, then there’s not many people the last five, six, seven years that have been able to say that.”

Murray retains immense respect for the former world No 1, and added: “For a lot of years everything went very right for Federer.

“He’s had a few tournaments this year where maybe things could have gone his way and they didn’t but I’m sure next year he’ll be competing. He’s still playing great tennis.”

Murray believes the gap between him and the top two players – Novak Djokovic and Nadal – is closing and has never felt they were beyond his reach.

“I don’t feel like I’m that far away,” the Scot said. “I just have to play better. There’s nothing else to say.

“I can win against Rafa. I can win against Novak. I just have to play better against them in the five setters.”

With Nadal starting to look weary at the end of another gruelling year, an injury-hit Djokovic feeling the effects of his own near-perfect year, and Federer now below him in the world rankings, it would be no surprise to see Murray made a worthy favourite at the 02 Arena next month – and capable of living up to the tag.