Andy Murray will continue his emotional and grueling run through the Washington, D.C. tournament when he faces Alex de Minaur on Friday. The quarterfinal schedule also includes Alexander Zverev and Kei Nishikori.
(1) Alexander Zverev vs. (7) Kei Nishikori
Top seed Alexander Zverev will take on No. 7 Kei Nishikori for a spot in the Citi Open semifinals. The match is a repeat of the 2017 semifinal in Washington, an encounter won by Zverev in comfortable straight sets. Nishikori returned the favor on the clay courts of Monte-Carlo earlier this year.
Despite an ongoing battle with inclement weather, the quarterfinal matches are scheduled to go on court as planned on Friday afternoon. Zverev, who defeated his brother in straight sets on Thursday night, will likely have the edge. Nishikori won this event back in 2015, and though he has had some good results in 2018, he hasn’t won a title since 2016.
Cheryl pick: Zverev in 3
Ricky pick: Zverev in 3
Andy Murray vs. Alex de Minaur
Former world No. 1 Andy Murray is finally on the comeback trail. After a lengthy injury layoff, Murray has a string of match wins under his belt for the first time in more than a year. Battling rain, the Scot was on court against Romania’s Marius Copil until 3 a.m. on Friday morning. Murray clinched the match in a third-set tiebreaker, causing him to break down in tears with relief and joy.
Opponent Alex de Minaur’s star is on the rise. The young Australian is ranked 72nd in the world, just off his career-high of 68th from last month. His performance this week should result in a rankings bump again. The 19-year-old will have a tough task with Murray, who is starting to re-find some of his fitness and form, but de Minaur may just have his chances since Murray was on court so late in the third round.
Cheryl pick: Murray in 3
Ricky pick: Murray in 3
gonna go Zverev in 2 and Murray in 3, although De Minaur has been playing well enough to pull an upset.
Yup. That’s what I think, too. I’m not convinced that the 3 am appearance helped much either, but he seems to be working himself into form regardless. I think he at least has 1 more match win in him this week.
My Citi Open winner pick was Andy Murray from the start – more out of hope than anything else. Have not been able to watch much tennis this week but I’m happy he’s still in there fighting. Come on Andy!! Andy do this in straight sets, if possible!
Kei over Sascha
Rublev over Kudla
Goffin over Tsitsipas
It would be great for the sport for Andy to bounce back so quickly. I wonder though if he’ll have anything left for Toronto at this rate.
Murray
but not confident at all
Me either. Mine was a shaky pick.
It’s all shaky picks this week 😀 especially in Kitzbuhel. No one in the TDC group picked Istomin v Klizan. The seeds all just went to say hello and get out, I guess.
Cabo San Lucas – wish I was there. Vamos Delpo!
Really like the matches from Citi Open today – the ATP ones anyway. There was a top seed exodus from WTA. San Jose matches look interesting though: Azarenka v Collins, Buzarnescu v Tomljanovic, Konta v Mertens, Venus v Sakkari.
I don’t think De Minaur has enough weapons to hurt even a hubbling Murray. Murray in 3.
Well, that was a bad day at the office for Goffin. Tsitsipas came out fast and didn’t stop. I thought Goffin would at least break him enough to make a match of it and get the win. Wrong.
But that was impressive from the Greek man. He walks with a bounce in his step and plays with confident. He’s now #27 in the ATP ranks. #22 in the year end race. He and Shapovalov nearly tied in the live ranks but Stefanos has surged ahead in the race.
Dang that was a good set of tennis from Kei. Kei dug himself out of a hole with some great sneaky serving. I’m sure Sascha thought he had him. But no – Kei gets the first set.
Sascha has to bring some heat now – if he’s going to win this.
The weather has been atrocious at this tournament : / yet another delay
Doesn’t look like it will stop raining in the D.C.
There’s still 3 of 4 QF’s left to play. What a mess!
Things in San Jose are not going well for Vika Azarenka – she has injured her right leg, (maybe it’s her knee again) and had to retire. Danielle Collins is through to the SF. They played a close set that ended in Vika winning the TB. But she couldn’t continue – sadly, in too much pain. Poor Vika!
Murray pulled out of his qf. Can’t say I blame him, given he’s still not 100%, has already played tough rain-delayed matches and it’s raining AGAIN. Or should I say still. Idiotic of the tournament to give him late night slots.
Been backing muzz from the start, from before that thrilling first title in San Jose, but just hoping this is not now the beginning of the end. That limp, so soon into his comeback … Oh dear. The heart is there, the way to win is there, the tennis is there, if only the body would come too. Not looking good. Time stands still for no one 🙁
Back in the early days when his many critics taunted, “He’ll never win a slam!”, I predicted he’d win between 4 and 7. Until now, watching the lack of new emerging slam-winners, I still thought he could do it, but now I’m not so sure.
In any other generation, between 4 and 7 slams would have been a modest achievement for muzz, but hats off to roger, rafa and nole, they have been phenomenal. For longevity, fed has it. For clay, rafa has it. For scaling the highest heights, nole has it. For being unlucky to live at the same time as all of them, muzz gets that one.
Well, all of those guys have their moments when they think about how much more they could have won if only the others hadn’t been around. But I’m sure Muzz will be happy with his career. Maybe 3 slams doesn’t sound like a lot these days but he has other achievements. He made it to No 1, he has 2 Olympic singles golds – don’t think any other man has done that? Two Davis Cups. A knighthood. 🙂 He’s done a lot for British tennis. And I’m betting Andy’s career isn’t over just yet. He sensibly pulled out of Toronto to rest and prep for Cincinnati. I don’t think he’ll win the USO this year and probably not Australia but maybe another Wimbledon isn’t out of the question.
Would love you to be right, but for me it’s more hope than expectation now.
But you’re definitely right that muzz has been fabulously successful. Without telling my age, I can remember the wishful British thinking that surrounded not just Henman, but Mottram, Lloyd and – yes – even Roger Taylor, every time Wimbledon came around. Perennially to be let down.
Brits over 50 are best placed to appreciate what a dizzying phenomenon Muzz has been for British tennis.
And apart from the titles and honours, there are also some incredible stats.
E.g. … All the way from Dubai 2008 to Cincinnati 2014, Andy Murray, between the ages of 21 and 27, led the H2H with the statistical GOAT Roger Federer.
Or, how about? …
Muzz has reached 11 slam finals, the same number as McEnroe, Wilander and Edberg, and no one other than Federer or Djokovic has beaten him in any of them – how many times did any of these three legendary greats have to play against the calibre of Djokovic or Federer in a slam final? How would the slam title stats compare with muzz if they’d had to do what he had to do, if it were a level playing field?
So, no, I don’t think muzz will be unhappy at all, and I’m far from disappointed with what he achieved. It’s just that in Muzz’s case the ‘big stats’ fall far short of the full picture.
And talking of ‘big’, there absolutely was a ‘Big 4’, of which Muzz was at a very marginally lower level than the other 3 for most of the time.
Some people – respectably, not including Stan himself – have sought to put muzz into the same category as ‘Wawrinka and the rest’. Their logic is based only on the biggest and narrowest stat of all – their 3 slams each. They don’t mention 11-4 slam finals, career titles 45-16, masters 1000 titles 12-1 etc. That’s not to downplay Stan, a big-game player who, on his day, could beat any of the Big 4 (except roger) – he just didn’t consistently play at their level over a number of years. The big stats won’t say it, but muzz did.
So, well done, muzz, even if you achieve nothing more. You have erased a tennis oxymoron: ‘British winner’.
Stan did beat Fed at FO2015 so no, not except Fed. He also beat Fed at MC 2014 final too.
I hope Andy’s critics not judging him too soon…The guy has just returned…Only played 6 matches in 2 years!…Of coz to return at the top will takes time…His body needs time to adjust to the high level of tennis & all the gruelling spice on tour…Give him time…I know he’ll be there in the end…He’s too special not to…
At this rate, the finals will be held on Tuesday. Good heavens, it’s such dreadful weather.
It’s supposed to be a decent day today in DC. I don’t know why they don’t start all the matches right now at 10 am Eastern!
The forecast is for a couple days of reprieve from the rain but then it starts again. Sheesh – I live 3000 miles West where it is scorching hot with fires all around and has been for over a month straight. I’d be so happy for a bit of that rain.
correction: I see they do have the WTA matches scheduled to start at 10 am in DC. But …it still says “interrupted” . What do I know….
Forgot – that’s 10 am my time. But still, waiting until noon and 1pm for starting? It says no chance of rain today. But it’s going to be hot and humid enough to make the heat index miserable by noon there. And the later it gets, the more likely some sort of rain. These poor people who have to live there.
Wonder how hot and humid it is in Toronto and Montreal this week?
Alex De Minaur Alex can defeat Sir Andy Murray in 3 sets.
The old Sir Andy Murray who is just back from a serious injury played for 8+ hours i just 3 matches and must be tired.
The young 19 year old Alex De Minaur who has endless energy and desire to win will outrun and outduel the old Sir Andy Murray in a gruelling 3 setter.
Youthful energy and better form (of Alex De Minaur) will prevail over an old, tired and injured body(of old Sir Andy Murray) finally!
But like +1.5 sets Alex De Minaur and over to win! Alex De Minaur has 60% to 75% chances of winning this match. Alex De Minaur is in far better form on hard currently.
Alexander Zverev will definitely win over a fighting Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2 tight sets or 3 sets.
Andy Murray withdrew and De Minaur got moved to the SF where he waits to see who wins between Rublev or Kudla. And I changed my mind about Kudla…when I see who he’s beaten to get this far and look at his recent record, Rublev might be too rusty for Kudla, seriously. Kudla could make the Final here. No joke.
Poor Andy Murray. I hope he’ll be okay to play Toronto. If he has re-injured something, that will be very sad and sickening. We need Andy Murray back!
Andy pulled out of Toronto to rest and rehab some more but he will play Cinci. He had a rough first week back in Washington but hopefully will be ok for Cinci and the USO.
That sounds good, Ramara.
Rublev didn’t show as much rust. Fairly easy win for him v Kudla. Congrats to him making the SF. But I think he’ll have to play again today v De Minaur. That could be fun. Sascha is the old man of the SF’s.