THE GRIN REAPER; TENNIS: SHANGHAI MASTERS ..;Sport

Byline: ALIX RAMSAY

ANDY MURRAY has promised to smile more after he flattened Roger Federer to clinch the Shanghai RolexMasters.

The Scot put the pain of his early exit at the US Open behind him by routing the World No.2 6-3 6-2.

Murray served up the best tennis of his life to crush Federer in 85 minutes of a final that was as one-sided as the score suggests.

But Murray - who netted pounds 385,000 and brought his tally of Masters trophies to six - agreed to show more emotion after having to be coaxed into smiling for the cameras.

The Chinese crowds have taken to him - some were even waving the Saltire this week - but can't fathom his downbeat approach to success.

However, Murray explained: "I'm shy. I don't like the cameras. When there are no cameras I smile. I'll try and smile a bit more in future."

After such an impressive week, he has every reason to grin from ear to ear. The Scot has grown in stature and confidence with every match.

Even so, beating Federer in a final of such magnitude - the Masters events are only one rung below the grand slams in terms of importance and prestige - takes some doing. And now Murray has done it twice.

He said: "I enjoy playing Roger. It's not easy. It's incredibly difficult every time but I love the challenge.

"I don't fear him but I know I could lose the match easily if I don't play my best so every time I go on I know I need to play great tennis to win.

"I don't know if my game matches up well against Roger's but some of my best tennis has been against him.

"It has been a good week. Roger had a couple chances to get back in the first set and I had a few big serves on some of them.

"He had one big chance with a forehand that he missed.

Applaud

"Apart from that it was a great match for me and I'm delighted."

Federer knows only too well that Murray's game matches up against his own - he has an 8-5 losing record against the Scot to prove it.

Federer said: "Andy's capable of beating anybody right now. That'swhat you have to do and hopefully you can string those matches together when it matters in grand slams.

"But the tour is not only slams. He's having another good year. I'm happy for him because he's a good player. He was the best here and deserved it."

Murray was razor-sharp from the first point. Choosing to let Federer serve first, he sniffed out an early break and in the opening gameand never looked back.

The Swiss had plenty of chances but every time he made a break point, Murray snatched it back with a huge serve or Federer missed the mark with his trademark forehand.

When the Scot secured the first set with two sensational forehandsof his own, Federer knew he was in for a rough night. Moments later the Swiss was a break down in the second set.

He tried to keep Murray at the back but the Scot's movement and power were too much. No matter where Fed served, Murray read it and pounced.

In reply the Scot mixed up his own serve, sometimes rifling the ball at 130mph and above and sometimes placing it with pinpoint accuracy.

Murray was majestic and Federer could only applaud him at the end of the match.

Meanwhile, Andy's brother Jamie and Ross Hutchins won the TashkentChallenger in Uzbekistan. They came from a set down to pip Slovak''sKarol Beck and Filip Polasek 2-6 6-4 10-8.

Glasgow's Jamie Baker and American Kevin Kim were beaten in the semis of the Tiburon Challenger in California. They lost 4-6, 4-6 to American Ryler Deheart and Canada's Pierre Duclos.

CAPTION(S):

SAY CHEESE: Andy Murray poses with the winner's trophy but doesn'texactly look ecstatic after beating Roger Federer, left, in the Shanghai Rolex Masters Final