(Tennis news) Andy Murray announced his comeback into the top 100 with a victory over Alexander Bublik at Rotterdam. Bublik could only win 10 points out of 31 in his second serve although the average speed was more than 180 km/ hour. Murray was down a break at 6-5 in the opening set but broke back for a tie break, the former world number 1 was in the lead but the Kazakh had the drop shots to make it close enough. The world number 35 even fended off a breakpoint in the opening game of the first with a surprise under arm serve mixed up with a forehand dropshot.
The three time Grand Slam winner was forced to come to the net but did chase down most of them. A backhand cross court pass gave him the break in the second set as it was all over for the first time tour winner. Murray defeated Bublik 7-6(8-6), 6-4.
“There were some tough moments in the first set for both of us,” said wildcard Murray after the match. “I just managed to come through at the end of it. Some great returns off some big second serves from him at the end and I did a good job. It’s not easy playing against someone like that, huge serves, a lot of drop shots and you’ve got to keep your focus and I did that well tonight.”
Lorenzo Musetti learned his lessons after a straight loss to Hurbert Hurkacz at Wimbledon last year. Musetti gained the momentum at the crucial points as Hurkacz was broken in the opening game which was enough in the first set. In the second set, both players were holding serve until the Polish number one won 8 of the last points of the set to break serve and win the set. Four unforced errors by the world number 11 in the eighth game gave the teenager a chance to serve for the match which he finished with an ace clocked at 212 km/hour. 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Cameron Norrie and Karen Khachanov had played against each other four times last year, the Russian was 2-0 in hardcourts including at Rotterdam while the Brit was 2-0 in clay. This time it was the left hander who secured his first hard court victory over the 25 year old, the 6th seed got his first victory of the season in the 5th match after a first round loss at Australia. If Khachanov was moving up ahead of the serve it was also bringing him down with 8 aces and 3 double faults. The world number 28 took a 4-1 lead in the second set but could not convert any further chances as Norrie came back to level it to 4-4. In the tie break, two double faults by the 25 year old gave the world number 13 his 104th career victory. Norrie defeated Khachanov 6-4, 7-6(7-5).
Felix Auger-Aliassime came back from a set down against Egor Gerasimov in the opening round. The qualifier got the first break in the 5th game which helped him to get a headstart to the match, in the second set the 21 year old took 4 games to take the set under 40 minutes. In the deciding set, Gerasimov lost 7 of his 11 second serves and could not make a change at the net as he lost his 5th match in 7 matches. Felix defeated Gerasimov 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Also read: Shapovalov and Karatsev suffer shock exit at Rotterdam
