Andy Murray put himself in the proper frame of mind about a set too late. And the absence of Ivan Lendl may have had something to do with it.
Multiple media outlets reported that Novak Djokovic defeated Murray 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Sony Open on Wednesday. But the victory was tainted over a blown call that went Djokovic's way and seemingly unhinged Murray.
Murray was serving at 5-6 in the first set. On the first point of the game, Djokovic rushed to the net to put away a shot for the point, but tennis.si.com reported that Djokovic "appeared to make contact with the ball on Murray's side of the net" - which is a rules violation.
Video and photo of the point show that Djokovic's racket clearly was on Murray's side of the net, but the umpire ruled that Djokovic's racket made contact with the ball while it was still on Djokovic's side and momentum took the racket to Murray's side.
Murray approached the net and asked Djokovic if he thought his racket was past the net at the point of contact and Djokovic said it was.
A flustered Murray argued with the chair umpire but let the call affect him as he lost the next three points and the set on his serve.
"You're having a laugh, man!" Murray told the chair umpire between sets, according to tennis.si.com. "You can see it on the replay. He even said his racket was over the net. Novak said his racket was over the net! He said the racket was over the net! Over the net!"
USA TODAY Sports' For the Win reported that after the match, Djokovic told ESPN commentator Brad Gilbert, "It might be my mistake as well. I think I crossed the net with the racket and won the point. I didn't touch the net. I really had a bad experience with that last year at French Open against Rafa (Nadal) - I touched the net and lost the point. Maybe the rule is you're not allowed to pass on his side with the racket. I'm not sure. You tell me. I told him that I thought I'm allowed to pass with the racket over the net but not without touching the net, it's my point. Maybe he's right, I'm not sure. Obviously that distracted him mentally and after that he gave the set away."
Murray tried to take the high road after the match.
"I'm not angry," Murray said after the match, according to tennis.si.com. "It maybe had a slight bearing on that game, but I was still up a break in the second set."
The Miami Herald, however, reported that Murray became agitated when questions about the point didn't quickly cease.
"I don't need to keep getting asked about it,'' he finally said. If it was over the net, it was over the net. I was right to complain and that's it."
So what does Lendl have to do with this? Murray's temper often got the better him during matches until Lendl took over as his coach and helped Murray stay focused on tennis, rather than become distracted. Lendl's tutelage helped Murray win the 2012 U.S. Open and the 2013 Wimbledon championships.
But Lendl quit as Murray's coach before the Sony Open - the two seemed headed for a breakup because Lendl was not attending Murray's matches as frequently - and Murray reverted to his pre-Lendl mannerisms.
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