Murray banking on fan power

Andy Murray
12 April 2012

Andy Murray is hoping the raucous support he receives in Melbourne will push him towards a first grand slam title.

Murray was roared to victory over Ukrainian Illya Marchenko on Thursday by a football-style crowd on Margaret Crowd Arena, with fans throwing beach balls, chanting and enthusiastically cheering every rally.

"The atmosphere on that court is one of the best in tennis," said Murray, who will play Spanish 32nd seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the third round at the weekend. "I think Davis Cup crowds aside, for a slam the atmosphere on there is probably one of the most fun to play in because everyone gets into it. There were a lot of Brits supporting and it felt like a Davis Cup match, which is nice. It definitely helps."

Marchenko, ranked 79th in the world, had promised "trouble" for the British number one, but it never really materialised as Murray won through in just short of two hours.

Murray sprinted through the first set, taking it in just 29 minutes thanks to two breaks. Marchenko rallied at the start of the second, two booming forehands and a crunching backhand giving him three break points, his first of the match.

Murray saved two but not the third as he netted a routine backhand to give the Ukrainian a 2-0 lead. Marchenko promptly undid all his hard work, however, a horrible shank on break point getting the set back on serve.

Both players were becoming irritated by the line-calling and with the court not having Hawk-Eye there was no method of appeal.

Marchenko got a particularly bad call in the first point of the fifth game, prompting the incensed Ukrainian to tell the official to "open your eyes".

The incident seemed to affect the 23-year-old from Dneprodzerzhinsk and he lost his focus, losing his serve after dumping a weak forehand into the net.

A further break saw the Scot clinch a two-set lead and he went on to complete a routine win.

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