Washington: Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray collected the biggest victory after comeback from injury at the Washington Open tennis tournament here Thursday while defending champion Alexander Zverev booked a matchup with his older brother.
Murray, sidelined by a right hip injury for 11 months until returning in June, ousted fourth seed Kyle Edmund 7-6 (7-4), 1-6, 6-4 in an all-British matchup to reach the third round of the hardcourt tuneup for the US Open.
“That has been my best win since I started playing again,” Murray said. “It’s a great win for me. It’ll give me more confidence going forward.”
World No.3 Zverev defeated Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri 6-2, 6-1, to send the 21-year-old German top seed into his first ATP match against 30-year-old Mischa Zverev, the 15th seed who beat American Tim Smyczek 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).
On a day when reigning US Open champion Sloane Stephens was ousted by Germany’s Andrea Petkovic and Australian Nick Kyrgios withdrew with a sore left hip, Murray stole the show with an impressive victory.
“Hopefully my body will adapt to the matches and get back to what it’s supposed to be doing,” Murray said. “As the weeks progress, I hope to have more days like today where the pressure and the expectations all grow.”
Former World No.1 Murray, now ranked 832nd, outlasted his 18th-ranked rival, breaking on a forehand return winner to advance after two hours and 32 minutes.
Romania’s 93rd-ranked Marius Copil, who ousted French 14th seed Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-4, will face Murray on Thursday for a quarter-final berth.
In the women’s draw, World No.3 Stephens was handed a shock defeat by 91st-rated Andrea Petkovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Stephens, who won the Miami Open in March, made a run to the French Open semifinals but stumbled early in her first hardcourt stop before defending her first Grand Slam title. Japanese third seed Naomi Osaka, ranked 17th, is the only top-45 player remaining in the women’s draw.
