The man with a robotic hip Andy extends lead over the Frenchman in a long-standing rivalry

Andy Murray returned to the ATP Tour on Monday after last competing at Wimbledon, reaching the second round of the Cincinnati Masters with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

The three-time Grand Slam champion, who owns two titles here and played the 2016 final, has been struggling over the summer with a groin strain as he continues his comeback to tennis following a complex hip replacement surgery. Murray, with 15 aces among his 38 winners, was pleased with his effort.

“I thought I did well. I moved pretty well for my first singles match in a while on hard courts. I was certainly, a little bit more confident in my movement than when I played him back in 2019. He uses all the angles on the court really well and makes you move a lot. I served well and got a lot of free points on my serve. I thought I was taking control of the rallies when I had the opportunities so it was a good match.”

Wild card Murray and Gasquet, a long-time rival whose 53rd ranking meant he had to qualify, first played 15 years ago. The Scot, who reached the Wimbledon third round, leads their series 9-4. They last met in 2019 here.

Murray hammered 14 aces and broke three times in the win lasting just under two hours. After three games which lasted for a total of 20 minutes to start, Murray grabbed a 5-3 lead, which he lost a game later before re-breaking to win the first set 6-4. Gasquet was broken in the final game of the match after saving a match point before Murray prevailed.

Tuesday, 19.30: (1.65) Alcaraz C. - Sonego L. (2.11)

Also, birthday boy Jannik Sinner turned 20 on a rain-interrupted day and celebrated with a win. The young gun was joined in the second round after a delayed start by 34-year-old Italian compatriot Fabio Fognini. Sinner erased memories of a disheartening first-round loss a week ago in Toronto when he went down in his opening match to Australian qualifier James Duckworth. The youngster, ranked 15th, came good in Cincinnati as he defeated Argentine Federico Delbonis 6-2, 7-5. Fognini joined the party with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win over Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia in a first-time meeting.

Argentine Diego Schwartzman turned 29 on the day, defeating British number one Dan Evans 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 after more than two hours. The South American welcomed the return of full crowds at the event, saying they give him optimism amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

South African Lloyd Harris earned a place in the second round against Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Alexander Zverev as he beat Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-4 with the help of 11 aces. Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime overcame his first-round loss a week ago at home to beat Marton Fucsovics 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 in a match interrupted by the rain which plagued play all day. Dominik Koepfer won an all-German first-rounder with his defeat of Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-3.

Tuesday, 18.05: (1.33) Halep S. - Linette M. (3.00)

In the women's draw at the joint event, Roland Garros finalist Barbora Krejcikova made a singles debut at the midwest venue as she defeated Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2.

Czech 12th seed Petra Kvitova, a two-time semi-finalist, beat 2019 champion Madison Keys 7-5, 6-4,avenging a defeat by the American in January, 2020, in Brisbane. Spain's Paula Badosa saved five match points in two and three-quarter hours to get past Petra Martic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (11/9) and next takes on third seed and Montreal semi-finalist Aryna Sabalenka.

Swiss Jil Teichmann stopped Romania's Sorana Cirstea with the loss of just two games.

Cincinnati Masters

Men - first round

Monday

Andy Murray - Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-4

Dominik Koepfer - Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6, 5-7, 6-3

Jannik Sinner - Federico Del Bonis 6-2, 7-5

Fabio Fognini - Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6 , 6-3

Diego Schwartzman - Daniel Evans 6-2, 4-6, 6-3

Lloyd Harris - Yoshihito Nishioka 6-3, 6-4

Albert Ramos - Taylor Fritz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

Félix Auger-Aliassime - Márton Fucsovics 7-6, 6-3

Alex De Minaur - Filip Krajinovic 0-6, 6-4, 6-4

Karen Khachanov - Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-4

Mackenzie McDonald - Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-2

Women - first round

Monday

Barbora Krejcíková - Darya Kasatkina 6-3, 6-2

Jelena Ostapenko - Tamara Zidanšek 7-5, 6-1

Petra Kvitova - Madison Keys 7-5, 6-4

Jil Teichmann - Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-0

Heather Watson - Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 3-6, 6-1

Yulia Putintseva - Zhang Shuai 6-2, 6-0

Elise Mertens - Nadia Podoroska 6-3, 6-4

Paula Badosa - Petra Martic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6

Shelby Rogers - Danielle Collins 6-4, 2-1 (ret)

Angelique Kerber - Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-2

Alison Riske - Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2

Jennifer Brady - Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 7-6 (7/3)