Andy Murray in the first round of the 2023 Rothesay Open in Notingham, UK
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - JUNE 13: Andy Murray of Great Britain celebrates victory after winning the Men's Singles Round of 32 match against Joris De Loore of Belgium (not pictured) during Day Two of the Rothesay Open Nottingham at Nottingham Tennis Centre on June 13, 2023 in Nottingham, England. | (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images for LTA)

Tennis | Surbiton Round Up | Murray, Broady & O’Mara claim titles

By Glenys Furness

  • Andy Murray, Liam Broady & Jonny O’Mara claim titles
  • Katie Swan made final
SURBITON, UK – Andy Murray entered the Challenger event and was the second seed. The Brit went all the way and lifted the title. Liam Broady & Jonny O’Mara took the doubles title. Katie Swan made the final on the women’s side.

 

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Andy Murray accepted a wildcard into the ATP Challenger event and was the second seed. The Brit drew Chung Hyeon in the first round. The Korean was making his comeback to the circuit and chose the grass challenger event to do so. Murray had little trouble with Chung in the first set, breaking quickly to take the lead. The second st was even easier, as Murray dominated. The Brit soon moved into the next round in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.

The second round saw the Brit against Chinese player Yunchaokete Bu. This match was a little thicker for the seed as the qualifier forced a tiebreak in the first set. Murray secured the tiebreak and took the lead. The second set was slightly easier for the Brit as Murray secured a break of serve to take the match 7-6, 6-4.

In the quarter-final Murray was against fifth seed Jason Kubler. The Australian got off to the better start, and managed to break the Brit to steal the lead. However, this is grass, this is Murray and you never count him out. The seed re-grouped well in the second set and broke Kubler to level the match. The final set saw both stay close at first, but Murray secured the vital break and took the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The semi-final saw the seed against Jordan Thompson. The Australian stayed with Murray in the first set, forcing a tiebreak. Once again the Brit was able to secure the breaker and took the lead. The second set saw the Brit break serve and Thompson was unable to break back. Murray moved into the final in straight sets 7-6, 6-3.

In the final the Brit was against Jurij Rodionov. The Austrian stayed with Murray right at the start, before the Brit broke serve and quickly secured the first set. The second set saw the Brit in dominating form and soon had a 3-1 lead. Then the British weather intervened and there was a rain delay. After nearly 2 hours they took the court again and Murray soon finished off in style, taking the Challenger title and becoming the oldest man to claim a Challenger trophy 6-3, 6-2.

 

Men’s Doubles

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Liam Broady & Jonny O’Mara entered the event and were unseeded. The Brits were drawn against Aleksander Kovacevic & Juncheng Shang. The Brits had no trouble with the American/Chinese pair and quickly broke serve to take the lead. The second set was more of the same as Broady & O’Mara broke quickly again and moved into the next round 6-3, 6-3.

In the quarter-final the Brits were against French pair Constant Lestienne & Hugo Grenier. The Brits broke quickly in the first set and soon had the lead. The second set saw Broady & O’Mara dominated the second set and booked a spot in the next round in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.

The semi-final should have seen Broady & O’Mara against the top seeds Julian Cash & Henry Patten. Unfortunately, a back injury to Patten meant they had to withdraw and hand a walkover to the unseeded Brits. So Broady & O’Mara moved into the final 0-0 (RET).

In the final the Brits were against the Austrians Aleksandar Vukic & Alexei Popyrin. The Brits started well and broke the Austrians to take the lead. The second set was tougher, as the Austrians broke the Brits and levelled up the match. The ensuing match tiebreak saw Broady & O’Mara edged the title 6-4, 5-7, 10-8.

 

Women’s Singles

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Katie Swan was against Carol Zhao in the first round. The Canadian was no match for the Brit who dominated both sets. Swan lost only two games all match and moved quickly into the next round in straight sets in a very fast match 6-2, 6-0.

The second round saw the Brit against the seventh seed Oceane Dodin. Swan started well in the match and broke the French woman serve to take the lead. The Brit was asserting her authority on the match, when the seed had to withdraw from the match. This handed the win to Swan 5-3 (RET).

In the quarter-final the Brit was against the top seed Tatjana Maria. The German started better and broke the Swan serve to take the lead. The second set saw Swan re-group, the Brit broke the German serve and managed to level up the match. The final set saw the players stay close at the start, however, Swan managed to break serve and take the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The semi-final saw Swan against Yuriko Lily Miyazaki. Swan dominated the wildcard and the more experienced Brit had little trouble with her compatriot. Swan eased through bearly losing points, and not losing many games. Swan took the match 6-1, 6-0.

In the final Swan was against qualifier Yanina Wickymayer. The Brit dominated the first set as the Belgian struggled to get into the match. However, the Belgian re-grouped in the second set and broke the Swan serve to level up the match. Swan started the final set breaking Wickmayer, however, the Belgian broke back and forced a tiebreak. The breaker was where the Belgian showed her might, dominating the tiebreak, as Swan could only get one point to take the title 6-3, 4-6, 7-6.

 

Women’s Doubles

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Alicia Barnett & Olivia Nicholls were the third seeds and drew fellow Brits Harriet Dart & Heather Watson in the first round. The seeds dominated the first set as Dart & Watson struggled to find their game. The second was much closer as the unseeded Brits forced a tiebreak. In the breaker Barnett & Nicholls edged through and took the win 6-1, 7-6.

In the quarter-final the Brits were against Quinn Gleason & Elixane Lechemia. The third seeds were pushed in this match, as their opponents stayed toe to toe with them. The first set went to a tiebreak which the Brits eased through. The second set saw Barnett & Nicholls break serve just at the end of the set to take the match 7-6, 7-5.

The semi-final saw the Brits against Emily Appleton & Julia Lohoff. The third seeds broke the Brit/German early in the first set and took the lead. The second set was more of the same as Barnett & Nicholls once again managed to break serve to book a spot in the final 6-4, 6-4.

In the final the Brits were against the fourth seeds Sophie Chang & Yanina Wickmayer. The Brits stayed close in the first set but eventually the fourth seeds broke serve to take the lead. The second set saw Chang & Wickmayer dominate and take the title 6-4, 6-1.

 

 

Surbiton Round Up

Liam Broady was defeated by Gabriel Diallo in the first round 6-4, 6-4.

Mark Whitehouse was defeated by Zizou Bergs in the first round 7-6, 6-2.

Dan Cox was defeated by Constant Lestienne in the first round 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Billy Harris was defeated by Rinky Hijikata in the first round 6-3, 7-5.

Harry Wendelken was defeated by Yunchaokete Bu in the first round 7-6, 7-5.

Maia Lumsden was defeated by Oceane Dodin in the first round 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Jodie Burrage was defeated by Yuriko Lily Miyazaki in the first round 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Emily Webley-Smith was defeated by Elizabeth Mandlik in the first round 6-3, 6-0.

Naiktha Bains was defeated by Yanina Wickmayer in the first round 6-3, 6-4.

Heather Watson was defeated by Maddison Inglis in the first round 2-6, 7-6, 7-6.

Dan Evans was defeated by Gabriel Diallo in the second round 7-5, 6-2.

Ryan Peniston was defeated by Jason Kubler in the second round 6-3, 7-6.

Sonay Kartal was defeated by Katie Boulter in the second round 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Eden Silva was defeated by Yuriko Lily Miyazaki in the second round 6-4, 7-5.

Harriet Dart was defeated by Tatijana Maria in the second round 6-4, 6-7, 6-4.

Isabelle Lacy was defeated by Yuriko Lily Miyazaki in the quarter-final 6-3, 6-0.

Katie Boulter was defeated by Yanina Wickymayer in the semi-final 6-3, 6-2.

Luke Johnson & Ryan Peniston were defeated by Julian Cash & Henry Patten in the first round 7-6, 6-7, 10-5.

Lauryn John-Baptiste & Yuriko Lily Miyazaki were defeated by Eden Silva & Olivia Gadecki in the first round 6-0, 6-3.

Naiktha Bains & Maia Lumsden were defeated by Sophie Chang & Yanina Wickmayer in the first round 6-1, 6-2.

Emily Webley-Smith with Magali Kempen were defeated by Quinn Gleason & Elixane Lechemia in the first round 6-4, 3-6, 10-5.

Freya Christie & Ali Collins were defeated by Viktoria Hruncakova & Tereza Mihalikova in the first round 4-6, 6-3, 10-4.

Mark Whitehouse & Charles Broom were defeated by Julian Cash & Henry Patten in the quarter-final 6-7, 6-4, 12-10.

Connor Thomson & Toby Samuel were defeated by Aleksandar Vukic & Alexei Popyrin in the quarter-final 6-7, 7-5, 12-10.

Katie Swan with Priscilla Hon were defeated by Eden Silva & Olivia Gadecki in the quarter-final 6-4, 3-6, 12-10.

Eden Silva with Olivia Gadecki were defeated by Sophie Chang & Yanina Wickmayer in the semi-final 6-2, 6-3.

Next Week Brits play in Stuttgart, Nottingham, France, Spain, Denmark, USA, Serbia, Indonesia, Belgium, Tunisia & Portugal.