Andy Murray beats Pablo Cuevas in straight sets to reach European Open quarters

ANDY MURRAY continued his return to the singles tennis scene on Thursday with a straight sets beating of Pablo Cuevas. The Scot won 6-4, 6-3 to reach the European Open quarter-finals having reached the same stage of the China Open earlier in the month. The moment of the match came when he broke the eighth […]

ANDY MURRAY continued his return to the singles tennis scene on Thursday with a straight sets beating of Pablo Cuevas.

The Scot won 6-4, 6-3 to reach the European Open quarter-finals having reached the same stage of the China Open earlier in the month.

AFP

The moment of the match came when he broke the eighth seed’s serve with a fantastic shot at the net having acrobatically stayed in the first-set rally.

At one point, Murray had to leap up and flick the ball over the net with his back turned.

It wowed the Antwerp crowd and showed his body is just about catching up with his mind after a long time out with a hip injury.

Amazon Prime analyst Barry Cowan lauded the shot: “If you’ve been away the last two-and-a-half years you wouldn’t know what Murray has had to go through when you watch a point like this.”

Murray now faces Romanian qualifier Marius Copil in Antwerp.

The likes of David Goffin and Stanislas Wawrinka remain in the draw after reigning champion, and current British No1, Kyle Edmund was dumped out in the first round.

It was revealed earlier in the week that Murray chose the Belgian ATP event because it is close enough to home in case wife Kim gives birth.

His partner is currently pregnant with the couple’s third child and Andy is prepared to rush off at any time should she go into labour.

With this his first serious singles outing since hip surgery in January, there are hopes he will be fit for the Australian Open next year.