Andy Murray sets up third-round meeting with Italian Jannik Sinner, 15 years his senior, on Thursday at the National Bank Open in Toronto as the Scot closes in on the Top 32 and a seeding at the US Open - live on Sky Sports from August 28 to September 10
Thursday 10 August 2023 06:41, UK
Andy Murray overcame a tough fightback from qualifier Max Purcell to reach the third round of the National Bank Open in Toronto where he will play Italian Jannik Sinner.
The former world No 1 won 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 7-5 in two hours and 47 minutes to set up a meeting with Sinner for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Victory helped Murray move up to No 36 in the Live ATP Rankings, his highest mark since April 2018 when he reached No 29, to close in on the Top 32 and automatic seeding for the US Open - live on Sky Sports.
There was little separating Murray and Purcell in the first set, each man breaking and breaking back en route to a tiebreak.
Murray, the 2009, 2010 and 2015 champion, was finally able to put some distance between himself and his opponent by wrapping up the first set, but Purcell refused to lie down.
The world No 78 rebounded strongly in the second to force a third and deciding set.
Purcell went up a break early in the third, but a crucial service hold down 4-2 was enough to spur Murray on to once again even things up.
Neither man was able to gain a decisive advantage as the set wound down, until Murray broke Purcell's serve in the 12th game to win the match.
Sinner maintained his perfect tour-level record against countrymen when he moved past Matteo Berrettini 6-4 6-3.
The 21-year-old holds a 9-0 tour-level record against Italians, with his latest victory his first against former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini.
Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, meanwhile, beat Ben Shelton 6-3 7-6 (7-3).
After an even start, a break of serve in the fourth game gave Alcaraz enough of a gap to wrap up the first set in 42 minutes.
The second set was even more competitive, with neither man able to break his opponent until the world No 1 sealed the victory in a tie-break.
"I try to be focused on every match, I try not to think about the winning streak just to keep going like I am doing," Alcaraz told the sold-out Toronto crowd. "I always say the first match in every tournament is never easy.
"It's even tougher playing against Ben, big bombs, big serves, big shots.
"It was trouble to get my good rhythm but I am pretty happy to get through and have another chance."
Next up for Alcaraz is Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, who was a 5-7 6-3 6-0 winner over Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic.
Frenchman Gael Monfils rolled back the years to upset fourth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 6-3.
Second-seed Daniil Medvedev, competing for the first time since losing to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon semi-finals, dominated proceedings from the baseline during his 6-2 7-5 win over Italian qualifier Matteo Arnaldi.
Eighth-seed American Taylor Fritz, who followed up his Atlanta title with a run to the semi-finals last week in Washington, advanced with a 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 6-3 win over Frenchman Ugo Humbert.
