Murray beats Evans at the NTC

Most tennis fans are now looking ahead to 2021 and while the coronavirus pandemic continues to make next season’s calendar uncertain (especially now with this new mutation of the virus), players are taking a positive view.

Jamie Murray in conjunction with the LTA, are staging a four-day pared down version of last Summer’s successful British Tour at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton to provide our players with match play practice in preparation for the start of the Tours in January.

The event got off to a good start yesterday with Andy Murray securing his first win with a straight sets victory over the current British No.1 Dan Evans.

It was his first victory in two months having not played since withdrawing with a pelvic problem last October from the Cologne event after losing to Fernando Verdasco.

The 33-year-old Scot showed great form to post his 7-6(5) 6-4 win. He saved six break points in the first set before taking control in the tie-break and breaking Evans in the opening game of the second for the only break of the match.

He wrapped up the win on his fourth match point when Evans called his own shot out after two-hours and 32-minutes of play.

Kyle Edmund is not participating as he is still attempting to regain full fitness following knee problems. Another absentee is Jo Konta who had a disagreement over scheduling during the first edition of the event claiming she had only signed up for a limited number of matches.

That is also the case with Murray who has only agreed to play twice ad his second match will be against Cameron Norrie on Tuesday.

Evans however, plans to play a full quota of matches which are being played on a league table basis.