WASHINGTON: 3-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray of Britain crashed out within the opening spherical of the ATP and WTA Washington Open on Monday, falling to Sweden’s Mikael Ymer. The 35-year-old Scotsman fell to A hundred and fifteenth-ranked Ymer 7-6 (10/8), 4-6, 6-1 after two hours and 50 mins at the USA Open tuneup event. “I’m excited,” stated Ymer, who stored 4 set issues within the first set. “So much left to do but it surely’s an excellent get started of the American swing.”
Global quantity 50 Murray, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic champion, is attempting to earn a seeding at the USA Open, which he received a decade in the past. “It’s nonetheless conceivable,” Murray stated. “I’d just want to have a excellent run in Canada or Cincinnati in point of fact. It’s lovely easy if I used to be to make a quarterfinal or a semifinal, which proper now-after a loss like that-doesn’t appear real looking. “I do really feel like if I play rather well that I may do this. However I’ll want to no doubt play higher than I did nowadays.”
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, enjoying her first singles fit in just about a yr, was once additionally eradicated within the opening spherical, falling to Canadian qualifier Rebecca Marino 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. “It was once great to have the gang in the back of me,” Williams stated. “Unquestionably a perfect enjoy. It’s my first fit so I didn’t assume I performed smartly a large number of the days. “Simply looking to shake off some rust. That’s simply to be anticipated. All I will be able to do is simply play every other event and play higher.”
Williams had no longer performed a WTA singles fit since falling to Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei 49 weeks in the past in Chicago. Ymer, who misplaced his handiest occupation ATP last closing August in Winston-Salem, will subsequent face fifteenth seed Aslan Karatsev. Ymer received 75 % of his first-serve issues, 49-of-65, and smashed 37 winners previous Murray, who made handiest 25 with 35 unforced mistakes, 5 greater than Ymer. Murray had a collection level within the twelfth recreation of the primary set however despatched a backhand large and Ymer held right into a tiebreaker.
Murray had 3 extra set issues within the tiebreak however Ymer smashed two forehand winners and a forehand volley winner to drag point at 7-7, prompting Murray to toss his racquet in frustration. Ymer, 23, took the set on a backhand volley winner. “Had possibilities within the first set to near that out,” Murray stated. “Didn’t get it. Yeah, irritating.” Whilst Murray clawed again to power a 3rd set, Ymer raced to a 4-0 lead, they exchanged breaks on double faults and Ymer ended the fit on a backhand crosscourt winner.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep, coming off a Wimbledon semi-final run, beat Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa 6-3, 7-5. “At all times the primary spherical is tricky while you trade the outside,” 3rd seed Halep stated. “I understand it’s going to take time to make the sport extra forged.” US most sensible seed Jessica Pegula cruised 6-2, 6-2, over US wildcard Hailey Baptiste. Pegula received the latest WTA Washington tournament in 2019 after two overlooked years because of COVID-19. “It undoubtedly feels bizarre,” Pegula stated. “It’s nice to be again.”
Edmund wins ATP go back
Britain’s Kyle Edmund made a triumphant go back to ATP singles after 3 left knee surgical procedures and a 20-month layoff by means of defeating Jap qualifier Yosuke Watanuki 6-4, 7-6 (10/8). Edmund, who subsequent faces British sixteenth seed Daniel Evans, performed in his first tour-level singles fit since October 2020 at Vienna, a month sooner than his first operation. “I didn’t to find it simple nowadays,” stated Edmund. “I hung in there and I were given my praise finally.” – AFP