Murray shows class on grass

ANDY MURRAY and Nick Kyrgios made successful returns to the grass courts of the main ATP Tour with opening victories at the Stuttgart Open.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Murray overcame Australian qualifier Chris O’Connell 6-4, 6-3 and will now meet Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik. Kyrgios, playing his first event of any sort since early April, beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6, 6-3.

Murray is likely to feature in a bumper spread of team tennis in Britain this autumn. Glasgow was yesterday awarded the Billie Jean King Cup finals, which means Britain will receive a wildcard into the 12-nation women’s event in November — despite losing their play-off against the Czech Republic in April.

Scotland has stepped in only five months ahead of time, with defending champions Russia not permitted to play due to the Ukraine war. Glasgow will also host four nations in the Davis Cup finals play-off straight after the US Open, including GB and most likely Murray. The next week London’s O2 Arena will host the Laver Cup event, in which Roger Federer is due to play after more than a year off the tour. Elsewhere, Germany’s world No 3 Alex Zverev will miss Wimbledon as he faces eight weeks out with ligament damage sustained in the French Open semi-final.