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Murray determined to 'learn from errors'

Tuesday 08 August 2006 00:00 BST
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Neither Andy Murray nor his coach Brad Gilbert were too downcast following the British No 1's defeat by Arnaud Clement in the final of the Legg Mason Classic in Washington on Sunday night.

The 19-year-old failed to claim his second ATP tour title following a below-par performance as he went down 7-6, 6-2 to the 2001 Australian Open runner-up. However, Murray refused to dwell on the defeat and instead accentuated the positives after his first tournament under Gilbert which has seen him rise to 31 in the rankings.

"I just made a few mistakes that I'll definitely learn from," Murray said. "But it was a good week. Getting to an ATP final at my age is good in anyone's book. I had my chances in the first set. I was 3-2 up with a break and 40-15 on my serve, then got broken, and I broke in the next game. Had I held I could have been a double break up.

"He raised his game once he got back into the match. My level dropped a bit and I served badly in the tie-break. I had my chances and should have won the first set. I obviously didn't start the second set too well and went 4-0 down. He deserved to win."

After claiming the fourth title of his career with a steady if unspectacular display, Clement admitted he took advantage of Murray's mistakes, finishing with 31 unforced errors to the Frenchman's 20, although the Briton developed blisters on his right hand which required treatment.

"He made a lot of mistakes at the beginning of the second set," Clement said. "I tried to get a break early. And I did. And then I got another one. After that I was OK. I had to play my best tennis and the first set was a very high standard."

Gilbert refused to read too much into the defeat, saying: "Clement raised his game and Andy was a little bothered by the blisters. I'm pleased overall but a little disappointed. Hopefully, it won't linger."

Now Murray will set his sights on the Rogers Cup in Toronto this week, when he will face the 12th seed David Ferrer, of Spain, in his first match.

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