Andy Murray makes winning return to China at Zhuhai Championships, moves closer to Cameron Norrie clash
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Updated 21/09/2023 at 12:36 GMT
Andy Murray was in action at the ATP 250 Zhuhai Championships on Thursday and started with a win over world No. 668 Ye Cong Mo. Murray travelled to China after helping Great Britain qualify for the Davis Cup finals last week. He saved several break points in the win over Ye, and could be set for a clash with fellow Brit Cameron Norrie in the quarter-finals.
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Andy Murray made a winning return to China as he beat wildcard Ye Cong Mo in the first round of the Zhuhai Championships.
The ATP Tour has returned to China after four years away and Murray was in action less than a week after being in Manchester to help Great Britain qualify for the Davis Cup finals.
He was given a good test at times by world No. 668 Ye, but came through 7-5 6-3.
“It was very hard,” said Murray in his on-court interview.
"We came from playing indoors back home where it was quite cold and here it’s very difficult. The humidity makes it very hard to get air in after the long points. I found it tough.”
Murray will next face Aslan Karatsev, who beat Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 6-2.
Karatsev beat Murray in their only previous career meeting in the final of the Sydney Classic in 2022.
If Murray wins he could face fellow Brit Cameron Norrie, who meets qualifier Marc Polmans in his first match.
Murray and Norrie were celebrating qualification for the Davis Cup finals in Manchester on Sunday, and while second seed Norrie has a bye that gives him extra time to get used to the new time zone, Murray did not have as long to adjust.
The three-time Grand Slam winner did not find it easy going against Ye in the first set.
After missing a chance to break in the second game, Murray was then pushed in his next two service games.
The former world No. 1 didn’t create any more chances to break until the last game of the set when he broke to love.
Murray was under pressure at the start of the second set, recovering from 0-40 down to hold serve.
He also fended off another break point at 1-1 before breaking to love in the next game.
That break seemed to lift Murray as he then fired down three successive love holds to clinch the win.
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