RICKY DIMON CHECKS IN: TOP SEEDS MURRAY, NISHIKORI OFF TO WINNING STARTS IN ROTTERDAM & MEMPHIS, DONALD YOUNG & ARTEM SITAK BEAT STEVIE JOHNSON & SAM QUERREY

Written by: Staff on 11th February 2015

RICKY DIMON CHECKS IN: TOP SEEDS MURRAY, NISHIKORI OFF TO WINNING STARTS IN ROTTERDAM & MEMPHIS, DONALD YOUNG & ARTEM SITAK BEAT STEVIE JOHNSON & SAM QUERREY

epa04615216 Kei Nishikori of Japan hits a return shot to Ryan Harrison of the US in their second round Memphis Open tennis match at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 11 February 2015. EPA/TANNEN MAURY |

Andy Murray kicked off his ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament campaign on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Nicolas Mahut in the first round. The Australian Open runner-up broke serve on four occasions–exactly half of the time–before advancing in one hour and 33 minutes.

British Andy Murray returns the ball to French Nicolas Mahut during their first round match of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 11 February 2015. EPA/KOEN SUYK

“Today I served well when I was behind up until the second to last service game,” Murray said. “I was down break points in the first three service games of the second set and came up with some big serves when I needed them. Hopefully I can do a little bit better tomorrow.”

Better? If Murray does better tomorrow, Vasek Pospisil will be in trouble. After all, the top-seeded Scot fired 36 winners compared to only 16 unforced errors against Mahut. The Frenchman recorded a stellar 24 winners and 17 errors but still had little chance against Murray.

Murray is 1-0 lifetime against Pospisil heading into second-round action on Thursday. They just faced each other last fall on the indoor hard courts of Vienna, where Murray cruised 6-4, 6-4. Pospisil is playing decent tennis at the moment with a third-round showing Down Under and an impressive 6-4, 6-2 beatdown of Philipp Kohlschreiber on Tuesday.

At the Memphis Open, meanwhile, No. 1 seed Kei Nishikori overcame a slow start to beat Ryan Harrison 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 56 minutes. The two-time defending champion lost 12 of the first 14 points in the match before recovering.

“This is starting to become my tournament,” Nishikori assured. “I’m going to have to defend my title.”

Harrison is still alive in doubles with partner Austin Krajicek, who upset Ivo Karlovic 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4 in the singles second round. The only other player remaining in both the singles and doubles draw is Donald Young. Teaming up with Artem Sitak, Young rolled over Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey 6-1, 6-4 on Wednesday.

Donald Young of the US hits a return shot to Adrian Mannarino of France in their first round Memphis Open tennis match at the Racquet Club of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 09 February 2015. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

Young won his singles opener 6-3, 7-6(9) at the expense of No. 8 seed Adrian Mannarino.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Abn Amro World Tennis Tournament, Andy Murray, Atp, Donald Young, Kei Nishikori, Ricky Dimon, Rotterdam, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

February 11, 2015 at 7:32 pm

-@Dimonator CHECKS IN: TOP SEEDS @andy_murray, @keinishikori OFF TO WINNING STARTS IN #Rotterdam & #MemphisOpen…- http://t.co/tUDMlG8pNm
Dimonator says:

February 11, 2015 at 7:38 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator CHECKS IN: TOP SEEDS @andy_murray, @keinishikori OFF TO WINNING STARTS IN #Rotterdam & #MemphisOpen…- http:…
svata4 says:

February 11, 2015 at 11:49 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: -@Dimonator CHECKS IN: TOP SEEDS @andy_murray, @keinishikori OFF TO WINNING STARTS IN #Rotterdam & #MemphisOpen…- http:…