Murray hands out a masterclass
ANDY Murray maintained his challenge for a second Wimbledon title as the world No 2 crushed Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun 6-3 6-2 6-1 in the second round on Thursday.
ANDY Murray maintained his challenge for a second Wimbledon title as the world No 2 crushed Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun 6-3 6-2 6-1 in the second round on Thursday.
Murray hit 31 winners and served six aces in a masterclass lasting just more than 90 minutes and will face Australian world No 67 John Millman for a place in the last 16.
As he bids to wrest the title from Novak Djokovic, the 29-year-old’s powerful display could be a good omen as he also defeated Lu in 2013 en route to becoming the first British man to win Wimbledon for 77 years.
“There were a lot of close games in the first set, but once I managed to hang on there I settled down,” Murray said. “Towards the end of the second I started hitting the ball much cleaner and was more comfortable.
“There were a few raindrops and you start to see the groundsmen coming to the edge of the court. Thankfully I had a decent lead. I was quite anxious to get off.”
Earlier Garbine Muguruza, the world No 2 and French Open champion, was knocked out as Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori struggled into the third round.
A below-par Muguruza, who was runner-up to Serena Williams last year, lost 6-3 6-2 to Slovak qualifier Jana Cepelova, the world No 124, in just 59 minutes on Court One.
It was the same arena where the 23-year-old Cepelova had defeated Simona Halep last year, a result which illustrated the Slovak’s liking for the big time — having also seen off Williams in Charleston in 2014.
Spanish 22-year-old Muguruza was bidding to become only the eighth woman to win the French Open and Wimbledon back to back. But she was undone by 22 unforced errors and hitting just nine winners in a flat performance.
Nishikori saw off France’s Julien Benneteau 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-2 on Centre Court and goes on to meet Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov.
“I started playing more aggressive and more solid,” said Nishikori, who has never gotten beyond the Wimbledon fourth round.
“It wasn’t an easy match. He started well, so it was a great match for me.”
Spain’s David Ferrer, the 13th seed, lost to fellow 34-year-old and grass court specialist Nicolas Mahut 6-1 6-4 6-3.
Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic brushed past Andreas Seppi 7-6 (7/5) 6-4 6-2. Raonic, a semifinalist in 2014, who next faces Jack Sock of the US, denied stories he had split with coach John McEnroe after just three weeks together.
“It’s inaccurate. He was there with me this morning,” he said.
Sock’s compatriot Sam Querrey, the 28th seed, eased past Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-4 6-3 6-2 for the dubious honour of facing defending champion Djokovic.
Britain’s Dan Evans also booked a date to remember when his 7-6 (8/6) 6-4 6-1 win over Ukrainian 30th seed Aleksandr Dolgopolov handed him a third-round clash with seven-time champion Roger Federer.
French 16th seed Gilles Simon was knocked out by former semi- finalist Grigor Dimitrov but was a winner in the ranting stakes after blasting officials for making him play during light afternoon drizzle.
“I won’t play when it rains. I know you have commitments to TV but if I get injured I will sue you and I will win,” Simon told the umpire before the brief shower passed on.
Five-time women’s champion Venus Williams ignored her exile to Court 18 to battle past Maria Sakkari 7-5 4-6 6-3.