Three-time Grand slam winner comes through first match on European soil in 16 months to reach last 16
Thursday 17 October 2019 09:22, UK
Andy Murray kicked off his final tournament of the 2019 ATP season with a 6-4 7-6 victory over Kimmer Coppejans at the European Open in Antwerp.
The former world no 1 has returned to Europe to be closer to his heavily pregnant wife after a successful three-event trip to China that saw him underline his return to fitness following hip surgery.
Murray has said should his wife Kim go into early labour he would return to the UK but for now, the three-time major champion quelled the hopes of home favourite and world No 158 Coppejans with victory in straight sets.
The Scot, who has taken his ranking from the 500s back into the top 250, is still keen to play matches with the ultimate ambition of a return to singles Grand Slam tennis in Australia in January just 12 months on from breaking down in tears as he faced the possibility of the end of his career in Melbourne.
However a successful return to doubles in the summer grass-court seasons was followed by a tough US hard-court swing, but the 32-year-old looked back in the groove with four wins during his spell in China, most notably a victory over world No 13 Matteo Berrettini as he reached the last eight of the China Open.
Murray will go up against eighth seed Pablo Cuevas as he bids to make the quarter-finals.
Also in Antwerp, British No 3 Cameron Norrie missed out on a showdown with another three-time Grand Slam champion after a 7-6 6-4 defeat to Feliciano Lopez meant it was the Spaniard who advanced to face Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday.
In Stockholm, Dan Evans will play his first match as the British No 1 when he faces either Casper Ruud of Filip Krajinovic
