The big-serving American, who had not won a single set in
four previous meetings with Murray, produced his best tennis of the week to
wrap up victory in two hours 22 minutes at the LA Tennis Center.
After breaking the world number four in the sixth game of
the final set, Querrey clinched his fourth ATP Tour title of the year, and his
sixth overall, when his opponent hit a backhand service return long.
The 22-year-old punched his right fist into the air in
delight after becoming the first player to win back-to-back LA Open crowns
since fellow American Andre Agassi in 2002.
"This feels great," a beaming Querrey told
reporters after winning his fourth successive three-set match of the week.
"You're never out of it. You can't give up.
"Today on the break point in the second set and the
match point I was just consistent. I wasn't going to give it to him.
I was going to make him come up with a shot to beat
me." The 6-foot-6 Californian, ranked 20th in the world, was overjoyed
after avenging his loss to Murray in the fourth round at Wimbledon four weeks
earlier.
"That's the highest-ranked guy I've ever beat,"
Querrey said. "The last two sets today were great. I hit some great
forehands, I served well when I needed. That was some of the best tennis I've
played." Murray, bidding for his first title of the year in his first
tournament back since his semi-final loss to Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon, was
satisfied with his week.
"Obviously I'm disappointed to lose but you've got
to take the circumstances into consideration," said the 23-year-old Scot,
a late addition to the draw after the withdrawal last week of world number two
Novak Djokovic.
"I've got to be happy with getting to the final and
having chances to win. I didn't play my best tennis but hopefully that's going
to come." Querrey broke Murray in the third game of the match but failed
to hold serve in the eighth and 12th to lose the opening set. The American
smashed his racket in frustration after double faulting on set point.
Urged on by his bare-chested 'Sam-urai' supporters,
Querrey failed to convert two break point chances in the fifth game of the
second set and Murray followed suit with one missed chance in the eighth.
In the 10th, Querrey faced a match point on serve at
30-40 after pushing a forehand wide but he escaped when the Scot missed an
attempted backhand winner down the line before going on to hold.
The set went into a tiebreak, which the American, roared
on by his fans, dominated to clinch 7-2. He punched his right fist into the air
in celebration after leveling the match with a forehand winner down the line.
The final set went with serve until Murray was broken in
the sixth game, dumping a backhand drop shot into the net to trail 2-4 before
getting blood on his knuckles after pounding his racket in fury.
Serving for the match at 5-3, Querrey faced a break point
at 30-40 but he saved that with a forehand winner before holding for victory.
