PROUD ANDY HAS AN ART OF GRASS
ANDY MURRAY beat Nick Kyrgios in straight sets to book his place in the final of the Boss Open in Stuttgart and then beamed: ‘‘I’m proud of that effort.’’ The Scot followed up his victory over top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas with a 7-6 6-2 triumph to reach his 70th career final.
The first set went with serve before Murray took it with his second set point of the tie-break. And he raced through the second, quickly opening up a 5-1 lead before sealing victory over combustible Australian Kyrgios in just over an hour-and-a-half.
A day after seeing off Tsitsipas in the quarter-final, the first time that he had beaten a top-five player since he scored a victory over Novak Djokovic in the ATP Finals in 2016, Murray continued to show his prowess on grass as he builds up to his eagerly awaited return to Wimbledon next month.
Murray, clearly delighted with the way he controlled his game against Kyrgios, said: “It has been a long time since I played my last final (on grass).
“A lot of ups and downs, but I kept going and kept working and finally managed to get to another one. I am proud of the effort I have put in.
“I was just a little more solid in the tie-break. I asked the questions.
“On these courts, when it is playing quick, the set often comes down to one or two points and I was a little more secure at the end of the first set.”
The British No.3, currently ranked 68 in the world, will take on Italian world No.10 Matteo Berrettini in today’s final.
Berrettini came through his semi-final 7-6 7-6 against German Oscar Otte.
Meanwhile, Murray will play Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the first round of the Cinch Championship at Queen’s, which starts tomorrow.
He will be bidding for his fifth tournament win as he continues hiswimbledon preparations.
British No.1 Cameron Norrie, the third seed, takes on Bulgaria’s formerwimbledon semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov and second-ranked Briton
Dan Evans faces defending champion Berrettini.
Ryan Peniston, the British No.7, has been handed a tough opening-round draw as he plays top seed and French Open runner-up Casper Ruud.
British No.5 Liam Broady faces Croatia’s seventh seed Marin Cilic in his first-round match.
Meanwhile at the Nottingham Open yesterday Evans (below) looked on fine form as he beat American Jack Sock to reach today’s final.
Top seed Evans, winner of the Challenger event in 2019, defeated the seventh seed 7-5 6-3.
The 32-year-old will face Australian Jordan Thompson in the final, after the third seed beat compatriot Alexei Popyrin 6-4 6-2.
World No.35 Evans is yet to lose a set after four matches in
Nottingham.