Andy Murray produced a spirited performance to edge a three set encounter with Fernando Verdasco at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
The win for Murray, 6-4, 6-7, (4-7) 7-6, (7-3) in 3 hours, leaves him with two wins from three matches in Group A although he must wait to learn whether he will qualify for the knockout stages.
With 17,000 supporters watching on at the O2 Arena, the Briton went into the match against Verdasco with an impressive 7-1 record, including a victory in their most recent match at the Valencia Open, a tournament that Murray went on to win.
However the Spaniard appeared determined to redress the balance from the outset, as both players exchanged service games until the world No.4 made the crucial breakthrough in the ninth game of the set.
Verdasco made 64 unforced errors during the match, one of which gave Murray his fifth break point of the set and when the Spaniard played a routine backhand volley into the net, the Briton seized the opportunity and closed out the set in 54 minutes.
The Spanish No.2 went in to the match having lost both his previous group matches in his debut year at the event but refused to be overawed as the second set progressed.
Both players countered each other by holding their service games although Murray may perhaps feel aggrieved not to have sealed the victory after engineering an impressive seven break points during the set.
However the No.7 seed refused to concede without a fight, forcing a second set tie-break in which Verdasco produced a suburb chip and charge followed by a volleyed winner on his way to forcing a deciding set.
The final set followed a similar pattern to the preceding one with neither player able to make the telling breakthrough. As the set entered another tie-break, the crowd rallied and Murray produced some of his better tennis, serving strongly and converting the first of three match points to win his second match of the tournament so far.
The Briton was impressed with strength of character of his opponent, competing in his first ATP World Tour Finals. Murray said: "After the first set he kind of played like he had nothing to lose, hitting huge forehands, huge serves.
"I felt like I hit the ball the best that I had done from the baseline today. I felt comfortable when I was being aggressive" said Murray afterwards.
Juan Martin Del Potro, who lost to Murray in the opening game of Group A, faces Roger Federer tonight and could deprive the British No.1 of a semi-final place, but only if he defeats the world No.1 in three sets.
In the afternoon's doubles, No.1 seeds Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic won 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) over No.3 seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles. Despite their win today, the No.1 seeds have failed to qualify for the knockout stages after two previous defeats, whilst Bhupathi and Knowles who are through to the last four after two earlier wins.
Look back on today's action at the O2 Arena
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