Paire fined $16,500 for Washington meltdown

WASHINGTON: Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts to missing a shot from Kyle Edmund of the Great Britain during Day Five of the Citi Open at the Rock Creek Tennis Center on August 1, 2018. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray collected the biggest victory of his injury comeback Wednesday at the ATP and WTA Washington Open while defending champion Alexander Zverev booked a matchup with his older brother. Murray, sidelined by a right hip injury for 11 months until returning in June, ousted fourth seed Kyle Edmund 7-6 (7/4), 1-6, 6-4 in an all-British matchup to reach the third round of the hardcourt tuneup for the US Open.

"That has been my best win since I started playing again," Murray said. "It's a great win for me. It'll give me more confidence going forward." World number three Zverev defeated Tunisia's Malek Jaziri 6-2, 6-1, to send the 21-year-old German top seed into his first ATP match against 30-year-old Mischa Zverev, the 15th seed who beat American Tim Smyczek 6-2, 7-6 (9/7). "We played the final of Wimbledon a lot of times in our backyard," Alex Zverev said. "I was 12. He was 22. I don't think I ever won. But this is on hardcourt."

On a day when reigning US Open champion Sloane Stephens was ousted by Germany's Andrea Petkovic and Australian Nick Kyrgios withdrew with a sore left hip, Murray stole the show with an impressive victory. "Hopefully my body will adapt to the matches and get back to what it's supposed to be doing," Murray said. "As the weeks progress, I hope to have more days like today where the pressure and the expectations all grow."

Former world number one Murray, now ranked 832nd, outlasted his 18th-ranked rival, breaking on a forehand return winner to advance after two hours and 32 minutes. "Now I have to get my body to play that way consistently and work on getting better with every match," Murray said. The 31-year-old Scotsman, who unleashed a primal scream and flurry of fist pumps after winning his opener, wiped away sweat this time before eventually pointing to the heavens, punching the air with his right fist and pumping his fist with satisfaction.

"Much better in terms of the way I played," Murray said. "Got a lot more points off my forehand. I was able to be more aggressive. I wanted to dictate more points and be inside the baseline, especially on the main points and particularly in the third set. "I was less nervous. I increased my intensity at the end of the second set. I thought I did that well." Romania's 93rd-ranked Marius Copil, who ousted French 14th seed Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-4, will face Murray on Thursday for a quarter-final berth.

No 3 Stephens stumbles

Third-ranked Stephens lost to 91st-rated Andrea Petkovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Stephens, who won the Miami Open in March, made a run to the French Open semi-finals but stumbled early in her first hardcourt stop before defending her first Grand Slam title. "Hopefully some things will connect in the next few weeks coming into the US Open," Stephens said. Petkovic, down a set and a break, rallied and won the final four games to reach the quarter-finals, her first victory over a top-10 foe since beating then-number five Garbine Muguruza at Doha in 2016. "It's definitely a confidence boost," Petkovic said. Japanese third seed Naomi Osaka, ranked 17th, is the only top-45 player remaining in the women's draw.

Injured Kyrgios 'gutted'

Kyrgios, ranked 17th, tweeted he was "gutted" to withdraw over the same injury that caused him to retire from an Atlanta Open quarter-final last week. "I haven't had enough time to be ready," Kyrgios said. "The physio recommended a couple of days of rest, rehab and treatment. I've got ample time for it to settle down before Toronto. "It's disappointing. But at this stage I can't risk aggravating the injury. Last year I wasn't healthy at the US Open so I want to be right for that." Japanese seventh seed Kei Nishikori beat US qualifier Donald Young 6-3, 6-4 just before rain washed out the night's final five matches, including US second seed John Isner's second-rounder against compatriot Noah Rubin.

Paire fined $16,500

In another development, French player Benoit Paire has been fined $16,500 after a racket-smashing meltdown during his first-round defeat by Marcos Baghdatis at the Washington Open this week. Paire, known for his volatile temperament, smashed three rackets and kicked a courtside bench and was booed off the court after appearing to give up on match point down. The 29-year-old initially lost his cool when dropping serve to trail 5-2 in the final set of his 6-3 3-6 6-2 defeat. After falling, he smashed his racket over and over into the court, then took another one from his bag and destroyed that. Another frame bit the dust at the end of the contest. Paire was sanctioned for "audible obscenity, unsportsmanlike conduct and a lack of giving best effort". "Yes, yes it's true I got upset yesterday," he wrote on Instagram. The ATP fine was more than double the appearance money he made at the tournament. - Agencies