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AFP
Washington
Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray collected the biggest victory of his injury comeback on 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."
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.
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.
Romania's 93rd-ranked Marius Copil, who ousted French 14th seed Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-4, will face Murray for a quarter-final berth.
Third-ranked Stephens lost to 91st-rated 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.
Japanese third seed Naomi Osaka, ranked 17th, is the only top-45 player remaining in the women's draw.
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.
Giant-killer Konta enters last eight stage
In Los Angeles, Johanna Konta followed up her stunning victory over Serena Williams with another brisk triumph on Wednesday, downing US teenager Sofia Kenin 6-1, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA hardcourt tournament in San Jose.
Konta, who won her first WTA title at this event back in 2016, showed no sign of a let-down after handing 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams the most lopsided defeat of her career -- 6-1, 6-0 on Tuesday.
The tournament lost another big name when top-seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza pulled out of the tournament with a right arm injury, hours before she was to face former world number one Victoria Azarenka for a place in the quarters.
Konta, a former world number four now ranked 48th, next faces fourth-seeded Elise Mertens of Belgium for a place in the semi-finals.
Mertens reached the last eight with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over American wild card Ashley Kratzer.
In other second-round action on Wednesday, American Danielle Collins defeated Vera Lapko of Belarus 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.
Collins next faces Azarenka, who cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Russian Anna Blinkova -- the lucky loser drafted to replace Muguruza in the draw.
