Federer had Murray at 0-40, 2-1, but he then missed on five backhands in a row. One passing shot went just long, others looped away or finished tamely in the net. This established a pattern for the first set. Murray doesn't give Federer a lot of pace: Federer seemed to have come in with a game plan based on giving Murray no pace either, and there were a set with Federer hitting gentle slices and Murray loopy topspin or similarly soft slices back to the ad corner. The rallies often ended with Federer making a soggy unforced error. The crowd, like a group of nervous investors, tried to pick up Federer as early as 2-4, but to no avail - Murray broke a second time to take a 6-3 lead.In a match between two "neutral" players, it was striking to see how hard the California crowd pleaded for Federer to make some kind of run. Murray was playing outstanding defense, forcing Federer to hit great shots to win a point.
Paul
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