Author: Barkha Roy
The Shanghai Masters was the scene of a thrilling clash on the tennis courts, with Brazilian pair Marcelo Melo and Rafael Matos taking on the formidable New Zealand-British duo of Michael Venus and Jamie Murray in the round of 32. The match was a rollercoaster, ending with Venus and Murray winning 4-6, 6-1 and 10-6.
From the first serve, it was clear that both teams were determined to secure their place in the next round. Melo and Matos showed their prowess with three aces, compared to none from Venus and Murray. The Brazilian pair’s first serve percentage was an impressive 81%, slightly higher than their opponents’ 80%.
The first set was a close affair, with Melo and Matos winning 6-4. Their winning percentage on the first serve was an impressive 72%, while Venus and Murray trailed behind with 63%. In the second set, however, there was a drastic change in momentum, with Venus and Murray recovering to win by a dominant 6-1 scoreline.
The crucial moment came in the tiebreak, when Venus and Murray took advantage of their break point opportunities, converting 2 out of 8 chances, while Melo and Matos managed to secure only 1 out of 5. This tipped the balance in favour of the pair from New Zealand and the United Kingdom, who won the tiebreak 10-6.
Despite the defeat, Melo and Matos put in an impressive performance, winning 30% of their points on the second serve, compared to 56% for Venus and Murray. The Brazilian duo also managed to win 20 reception points, compared to their opponents’ 21.
In terms of games won, Venus and Murray won 7 games against 10 for Melo and Matos. The match saw several changes of pace, with Venus and Murray winning four games in a row at one point, while Melo and Matos’ longest streak was three games in a row. The most points won in a row was 5 for Venus and Murray and 7 for Melo and Matos.
In the end, the statistics favoured the pair from New Zealand and the United Kingdom, with Venus and Murray winning 52 points in total, against 57 for Melo and Matos. In the service game, they secured 31 points, against 37 for the Brazilians. Venus and Murray managed to win 5 service games, while Melo and Matos won 7.