Andy Murray improved his chances of making the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals for the first time in four years after a record-breaking contest against Kei Nishikori in London. Not since his debut in 2008, when the tournament was held in Shanghai, has the Scot won both of his opening two matches and his 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 6-4 victory over Nishikori will be enough for a first last-four appearance since 2012 as long as he beats Stan Wawrinka on Friday. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price This was the fourth meeting of the year between the pair, with Murray having won easily at the Olympics but enduring long five-set tussles with Nishikori in the Davis Cup and at the US Open, where he came out second best. And the Briton rose to the occasion once again, after his victory over Cilic, to defeat Japans finest in the longest ever match at the season-ending tournament, lasting three hours and 20 minutes.Shot of the matchMurray showed remarkable powers of recovery with a moment of pure genius to be in the right place at the right time to save a third set point in an opening set tiebreak with this attacking winner from the tightest of angles. It was reminiscent of his winning effort to win the Rome Masters earlier this year against Novak Djokovic. This was just about the best point in a dramatic tiebreak in which Murray had three set points and Nishikori had five Expert analysisSky Sports Peter Fleming: Hes the world No 1 and you dont get to that position without having incredible resolve and will and reserve of mental and emotional stamina. He is a great physical athlete, hits the ball beautifully and his backhand is incredible, but it was just his willingness to keep going and his willingness to butt heads with Nishikori.Mentally and emotionally, it might be more of a strain for him to recover than physically. Knowing what is at stake, I think it will be quite easy for him to get up for the rest of his matches here. Murray had to dig deep to beat Nishikori in what was the longest match in Tour Finals history The matchThere were no less than 17 breaks of serve during their US Open encounter but Nishikori, who could yet finish the year ranked No 3, failed to capitalise on those offered on a plate during an opening set lasting 85 minutes, including 40 unforced errors. Heres Murrays stunning cross-court winner on the run which left Nishikori at the net... After a slow-burner of an opening with both men failing to take opportunities to break, the first set tiebreak lit the blue touchpaper.Murray was forced to produce a remarkable reflex winner from an impossible angle to save a third set point at 6-3. But ultimately the Scot failed take any of his three opportunities created, while the 26-year-old broke Murrays resistance at the fifth time of asking to stun the home support. Nishikori needed a couple of smashes to eventually get past Murray after this exchange... That only inspired the 29-year-old, who started his fightback with an immediate response in the opening game of the next set. A re-energised Nishikori broke back in the eighth game, but Murray struck immediately back to send the match into a decider.Wimbledon and Olympic champion Murray took advantage of a lucky net cord in the third game to move ahead in the match and he quickly made it a double break advantage. Although Nishikori, who reached the 2014 semi-finals on his debut at the season finale, won the next three on the spin, it was the world No 1 who held his nerve to seal a famous win at the second time of asking. Heres the moment Murray closed out the match at the second time of asking... The victory made it 21 in a row for the Scot, who needs to match Djokovics performance this week to ensure he holds onto top spot until the end of the year.Check our game-by-game coverage from all group matches at the ATP World Tour Finals in London - including Andy Murray v Stan Wawrinka on Friday - on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis. Murray v Nishikori: Match Stats Murray Nishikori Aces 8 0 Double faults 6 4 1st serve points won 75% 72% 2nd serve points won 48% 40% Break points won 4/7 2/11 Unforced errors 39 49 Total points won 130/251 121/251 Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: WATCH: How good is Murray? As it happened... Murrays service syndrome over? That was pulsating tennis Pat Connaughton Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Damian Lillard Jersey . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. http://www.cheapblazersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-evan-turner-jersey . 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In doing so, he believes the players should ask for an independent arbitrator -- and not commissioner Roger Goodell -- to rule on player discipline.The Green Bay Packers quarterback offered his services during an interview with ESPN sports business analyst Andrew Brandt on the The Business of Sports podcast..It has to change, Rodgers said. I dont know why the owners wouldnt want it to change, because its made the league look bad a few times. I read something -- you know I said that I felt like we had the opportunity to make a change in the first CBA, and I stand behind that, that statement.Many guys I dont think were aware of how strong our position could have been had we waited a little longer. One of the things that we should have maybe pushed for was to have an independent arbitrator. I dont think we should have to give anything for that to happen in the next negotiation.The issue of player discipline hitt the Packers this year when the NFL investigated -- and ultimately cleared --?Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers for alleged performance-enhancing drug violations.ddddddddddddRodgers had previously said on The Jim Rome Show that the players have no one to blame but themselves for not taking power away from the commissioner during the most recent labor talks in 2011.The current collective bargaining agreement ends after the 2020 season. Rodgers, 32, is under contract with the Packers through 2019.If Im fortunate enough to be around for the next one, I think it could be an opportunity to help out the next generation of players, by taking maybe more of a role in that, Rodgers said. If its wanted by the union, I would be open to it because I think we need some really strong leaders when we come back to the table, and realize that, as opposed to maybe the last time the CBA rolled around, that we have more bargaining power than we showed. ' ' '
