AP, Washington :
Andy Murray is back on hard courts for the first time in four months – and back at the Citi Open for the first time in nine years.
The two-time major champion is seeded No. 1 at the U.S. Open tuneup that began Monday, getting his game in gear on the surface on which he won his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2012.
Like other seeded players, Murray received a first-round bye, and his initial match in Washington, where he hasn’t played since he was the 2006 runner-up, comes Wednesday against Benjamin Becker or Teymuraz Gabashvili. That will be Murray’s first competition on a hard court since losing in the final at Miami to top-ranked Novak Djokovic in early April.
“It does take a while, especially coming from the grass. This morning was the first time when I hit and started to feel more comfortable on the courts, feel like I’m starting to get used to them again. Obviously the conditions here, when compared with Wimbledon, is completely different. Extremely humid. Very high-bouncing courts,” said the third-ranked Murray, who lost to No. 2 Roger Federer in the semifinals at the All England Club last month.
In the Citi Open’s first completed match, Louisa Chirico beat Heather Watson 6-3, 6-0. It was Watson’s first tournament appearance since she pushed eventual champion Serena Williams to three sets in the third round at Wimbledon.
In men’s action Monday, Hyeon Chung defeated Dudi Sela 6-2, 6-1 and now faces reigning U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic; James Duckworth eliminated Ryan Harrison 6-1, 7-6 (4) and will meet U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori; and Victor Estrella Burgos edged Nicolas Jarry 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a match against eighth-seeded John Isner.
In doubles, the second stop on Mardy Fish’s farewell tour began with a victory. Fish, who plans to retire after the U.S. Open, teamed with Grigor Dimitrov to beat last year’s Wimbledon champions, Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil.
Murray’s season so far: three titles and a 48-7 record.
