Andy Murray stuns world No 7 Alexander Zverev at Western & Southern Open
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Updated 25/08/2020 at 11:14 GMT
Former British No. 1 Andy Murray continued to impress ahead of his Grand Slam return at the US Open as he saw off Alexander Zverev in New York. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic has been suffering with injury issues ahead of the much-anticipated event at Flushing Meadows.
Andy Murray at the Western & Southern Open
Image credit: Getty Images
Andy Murray produced a brilliant performance to beat world No 7 Alexander Zverev in three sets in the second round of the Western & Southern Open in New York.
Playing in only his second ATP Tour match of the year, Murray came through 6-3 3-6 7-5 to secure his first win over a top-eight player since the ATP Finals in 2016.
Zverev served for the match at 5-4 in the final set but tossed in three double faults - taking his total in the contest to nine - in the face of some aggressive return positioning from Murray.
Murray will next face Milos Raonic, who beat Dan Evans in straight sets.
"It was a big one to get through," said Murray.
"I'm satisfied to get through it against a top player having not played for such a long time and I get another opportunity to compete again tomorrow. This will give me an idea of where my body is at."
Murray looked bright in the early stages and broke to move 3-1 ahead as he regularly stepped up into court to attack the German’s second serves.
Zverev threatened to break back but Murray recovered from 15-40 down to move 5-2 ahead, winning the game with a brilliant forehand winner on the run.
Murray closed out an impressive first set at the first opportunity, but missed two chances to break in the opening game of the second set.
His level then dropped and Zverev took advantage, breaking to go 5-3 up before clinching the set.
The momentum in the final set swung back and forth as Murray moved 4-1 ahead, only to lose the next four games in a row.
Zverev, though, could not serve out the match from 5-4 up as he threw in three double faults in an error-strewn game.
Murray held to lead 6-5 and then sealed victory in style with a forehand winner down the line followed by a service return winner into the corner.
Injured Djokovic wins, Thiem out
Novak Djokovic had withdrawn from a doubles match due to a neck issue and showed signs of discomfort in a 7-6(2) 6-4 win over Ricardas Berankis.
"It's getting better ... it's not yet where I'd like it to be but it's heading in the right direction," said Djokovic, who meets Tennys Sandgren next.
Filip Krajinovic stunned second seed Dominic Thiem 6-2 6-1 and next plays Marton Fucsovics, who beat Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 4-6 6-2.
Third seed Daniil Medvedev launched the defence of his title with a 6-4 6-4 second-round win over Marcos Giron.
Big-hitting Canadian Raonic blasted 23 aces in 6-3 7-5 victory over British No 1 Evans.
But it was a bad day for the rest of the Canadian contingent, 12th seed Denis Shapovalov falling 7-6(4) 3-6 6-4 to Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff while 15th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime lost 6-7(4) 6-2 7-6(5) against Tennys Sandgren.
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