World number two Andy Murray resisted a spirited challenge from veteran hardcourt specialist Mardy Fish to reach the third round of the Cincinnati Masters.
The British number one, who has replaced Roger Federer as the second best player in the ATP World Tour rankings following his Rogers Cup triumph, will next face Grigor Dimitrov after triumphing 6-4 7-6 (7/1) against the soon-to-retire Fish.
The 33-year-old from Minnesota recently spent 18 months out of the game due to a heart condition and will step away from tennis for good after the US Open, but held his own in the first set and managed to force the second-set tie-break having surrendered a 4-3 lead.
Murray paid tribute to Fish, tweeting: “With @MardyFish after our match tonight/this morning! One of my trickiest opponents good Person, fun guy Who’s been very unfortunate these last few years… All the best for the us open and your life after tennis!”
With @MardyFish after our match tonight/this morning! One of my trickiest opponents? good Person, fun guy pic.twitter.com/Z2XjJZpoCv
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) August 20, 2015
Murray’s next opponent Dimitrov may have enjoyed the benefit of a day’s rest having beaten Vasek Pospisil in the second round on Tuesday, but he has only got the better of the counter-punching Scot twice, knocking him out of Wimbledon in 2014 and winning a semi-final in Acapulco earlier in the same year.
Meanwhile, Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, aiming for a historic career grand slam of all nine ATP 1000 Masters titles, had to contend not only with being broken but also some trick shots from France’s Benoit Paire, who ultimately succumbed to a 7-5 6-2 defeat.
A relieved-looking Djokovic told Sky Sports 3: “He’s an entertaining player, a very nice guy off court. We practice a few times and this is the first time we have played in an official match. I expected the unexpected.”