The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Andy Murray was yesterday beaten 6-1 1-6 6-4 by Lucas Pouille in the first round of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. The Scot, still making his way back after a long injury lay-off, struggled to find consistency against the French 16th seed.
Scot had won all four previous meetings with Frenchman
Andy Murray was beaten 6-1 1-6 6-4 by Lucas Pouille in the first round of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Murray, back on court after pulling out of the Citi Open in Washington earlier this month, had won all four previous meetings with the Frenchman but was below par and too inconsistent against the 16th seed.
Former world number one Murray was broken in the first game as Pouille took the opening set in just over 30 minutes.
Murray hit straight back to level the match after winning the second set 6-1 in convincing style.
He broke Pouille in the first game and never looked back, stepping on to the front foot, finding his range and playing more aggressively.
Pouille was broken for a second time to trail 4-1 and after Murray comfortably held, the Frenchman lost his serve again in the seventh game to send the match into a decider.
But Murray lost his way again and could not contain the impressive shotmaking of Pouille, who dominated the third set to win in an hour and 53 minutes.
Pouille pounced on Murray’s nervous start to the decider as the Briton doublefaulted on the first point before being broken in the opening game.
Pouille moved comfortably into a 2-0 lead and although Murray held serve in the next, he failed to convert a break point in the fourth game and fell 3-1 behind.
Murray pulled it back to 5-4, having saved match point on his serve as he trailed 5-3, but Pouille held his nerve to hold serve in the 10th game, taking the set 6-4 and sealing a deserved victory.
British number one Kyle Edmund booked his place in the second round with a 6-3 6-2 win over American wildcard Mackenzie McDonald.
Edmund, 23, dropped only one point on his serve and hit 10 aces.
The world number 16 will next play Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, who beat American Frances Tiafoe 7-6 3-6 7-5.
Spain’s Pablo Carreno-Busta, the 13th seed, beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 2-6 6-3, while Kei Nishikori saw off Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-3.
World number one Rafael Nadal has pulled out of this week’s tournament.
The 32-year-old Spaniard, who won the title in 2013, feels he needs a rest following Sunday’s victory at the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
“I am very sorry to announce that I won’t be playing in Cincinnati this year,” Nadal wrote on Twitter.
“No other reason than personally taking care of my body and trying to keep as healthy as I feel now.
“I am very thankful to my friend, Andre Silva, tournament director of the Cincinnati tournament, who after speaking to him on the phone understood what I said and understands the situation.
“I am sure the tournament will be a success and I wish him and his team all the best.
“I am also sad for those amazing fans in Cincy and around who always gave me great support.
“I am sure I’ll see them next year and I am sorry I won’t be with them this year. Thanks for all the support as always.”
Nadal, the 17-time grand slam winner, collected his 80th career title on Sunday by beating Greek youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 7-6 (7/4).
The US Open, the final grand slam of the year, starts on August 27.
In the women’s event at Cincinnati, Victoria Azarenka, a wild card this year, needed to dig deep before overcoming Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round.
The former world No 1 will next face sixth seed Caroline Garcia, of France, who had a first-round bye.