BRITAIN’S Jamie Murray and Brazilian Bruno Soares pulled progress at the ATP Finals back into their own hands after they cruised to victory over Marcel Granollers and Ivan Dodig.
After losing to Bob and Mike Bryan on Monday, Murray and Soares knew defeat here would end their hopes of reaching the semi-finals, but they delivered an emphatic response by winning 6-1, 6-1.
Murray and Soares can now guarantee their place in the last four by beating Marcelo Melo and Lukasz Kubot tomorrow, while Dodig and Granollers are eliminated regardless.
Defeat to Melo and Kubot would leave Murray and Soares relying on Dodig and Granollers to overcome the Bryan brothers.
Murray and Soares were three games up in just nine minutes after a baseline flurry from Soares earned them three break points and Murray converted with a slapped volley at the net.
It was Dodig who was broken and at 4-1 the Croatian lost serve again, on another deciding deuce point, as Granollers failed to field Soares’ driven pass.
Soares then served out as a Murray smash clinched the set and the Scot’s precision overhead was key to an early break in the second too.
His angled finish helped set up four break points on Dodig’s struggling serve and they took the second when a Soares lob proved too good.
Granollers was next to drop serve, with the only discomfort stemming from Murray’s back.
He looked little affected, however, and the smoothest of victories was confirmed after 51 minutes.
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