mobanmarketWashington: Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray moved closer to a singles comeback six months after hip surgery, joining brother Jamie for a doubles victory Wednesday at the ATP Washington Open.
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The Murrays, partnered for the first time since the 2016 Rio Olympics, downed Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-7, 10-5 in a first-round match at the US Open tune-up event.
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The British duo trailed 5-2 in the decisive super-tiebreaker but steamrollered back by taking the last eight points, Jamie Murray’s service winner securing the victory.
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It was Andy who began the rally with a backhand winner and added backhand volley and drop volley winners on the two penultimate points.
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Andy Murray is practising singles and playing doubles as the former world No. 1, now ranked 222, continues his fightback from hip surgery in January.
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The 32-year-old Scotsman feared he could be forced into retirement before the operation. He returned to the court in June but only in doubles while he rehabilitates.
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Thus far, his hip has responded better than expected, Murray declaring Monday he was “quite close” to a singles comeback, perhaps as soon as Cincinnati in two weeks.
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An argumentative Nick Kyrgios hammered 24 aces in a dominating service display to defeat Gilles Simon 6-4, 7-6 in the second round of the singles.
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The 24-year-old Australian offered his critique of the chair umpire’s performance before match point and continued to provide his thoughts following the conclusion of the match.
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Kyrgios will next face Yoshihito Nishioka, a 6-7, 6-2, 7-6 winner over seventh-seeded David Goffin.
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Top-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas was tested in his first match of the tournament by Tommy Paul but held on to dispatch the American 6-3, 7-5.
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“He played very aggressive tennis and was more unpredictable than players I have faced in the past,” Tsitsipas said.
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Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime topped big-serving American Reilly Opelka to reach the round of 16 in his first main draw appearance at the tournament thanks to his stout defence.
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Rising Australian Jordan Thompson, top-ranked American John Isner and hard-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic also won their second-round matches.
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On the women’s side Kristina Mladenovic held on to defeat 17-year-old American Hailey Baptiste 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in a hard-fought evening match to punch her ticket to the third round.
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Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya and Americans Lauren Davis and Jessica Pegula also advanced.
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