Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray of Britain crashed out in the opening round of the ATP and WTA Washington Open on Monday, falling to Sweden's Mikael Ymer.
The 35-year-old Scotsman fell to 115th-ranked Ymer 7-6 (10/8), 4-6, 6-1 after two hours and 50 minutes at the US Open tuneup tournament.
I'm excited, said Ymer, who saved four set points in the first set. A lot left to do but it's a very good start of the American swing.
World number 50 Murray, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic champion, is trying to earn a seeding at the US Open, which he won a decade ago.
It's still possible, Murray said. I would just need to have a good run in Canada or Cincinnati really. It's pretty straightforward if I was to make a quarterfinal or a semifinal, which right now -- after a loss like that -- doesn't seem realistic.
I do feel like if I play very well that I could do that. But I'll need to certainly play better than I did today.
Ymer, who lost his only career ATP final last August in Winston-Salem, will next face 15th seed Aslan Karatsev.
Ymer won 75 percent of his first-serve points, 49-of-65, and smashed 37 winners past Murray, who made only 25 with 35 unforced errors, five more than Ymer.
Murray had a set point in the 12th game of the first set but sent a backhand wide and Ymer held into a tiebreaker.
Murray had three more set points in the tiebreak but Ymer smashed two forehand winners and a forehand volley winner to pull level at 7-7, prompting Murray to toss his racquet in frustration. Ymer, 23, took the set on a backhand volley winner.
Had chances in the first set to close that out, Murray said. Didn't get it. Yeah, frustrating.
While Murray clawed back to force a third set, Ymer raced to a 4-0 lead, they exchanged breaks on double faults and Ymer ended the match on a backhand crosscourt winner.
Murray said he will explore why he has had cramping issues in his past two matches when he often thrives in heat and humidity.
I started cramping at the end of the first set, Murray said. After that you're just trying to find a way to get through the match.
Need to have a little look at that with my team and maybe see why that is, make a few changes.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep, coming off a Wimbledon semi-final run, beat Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa 6-3, 7-5.
Always the first round is difficult when you change the surface, third seed Halep said. I know it's going to take time to make the game more solid.
US top seed Jessica Pegula cruised 6-2, 6-2, over US wildcard Hailey Baptiste.
Pegula won the most recent WTA Washington event in 2019 after two missed years due to Covid-19.
It definitely feels weird, Pegula said. It's great to be back.
- Edmund wins ATP return -
Britain's Kyle Edmund made a triumphant return to ATP singles after three left knee surgeries and a 20-month layoff by defeating Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki 6-4, 7-6 (10/8).
Edmund, who next faces British 16th seed Daniel Evans, played in his first tour-level singles match since October 2020 at Vienna, a month before his first operation.
I didn't find it easy today, said Edmund. I hung in there and I got my reward in the end.
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