Thaindian News

Cincinnati (Ohio), Aug 18 (DPA) Andy Murray took the long way to the Cincinnati Masters, presumably giving his new skills behind the wheel a test as he and fitness trainer Jez Green made a 15-hour drive from his weekend championship performance in Montreal.
Murray, the freshly minted world number two, informed his fans Monday that he and his mate were travelling in a Cadillac Escalade SUV for the journey of more than 1,120 miles.

Much of the work was done by an unspecified driver, with Murray tweeting: “We’re getting driven. Entire row of Escalade to myself. Slept 4 hrs already.”

But the 22-year-old Scot is in fresh possession of a British driving licence after several failed attempts to earn the privilege.

He will get more time on the open road this week at the tournament, which gives leading players the use of personal cars for the week.

Murray is on call Tuesday morning for media duties, presumably rested from his unorthodox trip, which replaced a standard two-hour flight.

The winner of five titles this season after beating Juan Del Potro of Argentine in Sunday’s Canadian final is due to play in the second round after the bye given to the top eight seeds.

He will face Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, who advanced when Israeli Dudi Sela retired trailing 6-4, 1-0 Monday.

Frenchman Gael Monfils, seeded 13th, became the first seeded victim, going out in a barrage of 21 aces by Croatian Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2). Spain’s 15th seed Tommy Robredo lost to Jeremy Chardy of France 6-3, 7-5.

There were seeded wins for French player Gilles Simon as the number nine put out Wayne Odesnik 6-3, 6-2. Number 14 Croatian Marin Cilic beat Spanish veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-4.

Unseeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka lost to Spaniard David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2, while Russian Igor Andreev handed Nicolas Kiefer a second consecutive first-round Masters loss, 6-1, 7-5.

Spain’s Rafael Nadal, displaced from second to third on the ATP by Murray’s rise, said he’s not stressed about losing the ranking or his comeback after two months out due to damaged knees.

“It’s impossible start from a zero to 100,” said Nadal, quarter-finalist last week in Montreal as he played his first tournament since the French Open.

“I need to progress every day a little bit more. Today I trained for one hour, 45 minutes, instead of two and a half hours. The important thing is be good physically. I know if I work hard and if I can work with the normal intensity like in the past, I’ll have chances to return to my best level. But I have to stay calm.”