Surbiton | Murray triumphs in London suburb

Andy Murray made what he describes as a perfect start to his grass-court preparations and Wimbledon, by comfortably winning the Lexus Surbiton Trophy 6-3 6-2 against Austrian Jurij Rodionov in a rain interrupted Challenger final.

It is a good win. Jurij has played brilliant the whole week. He had won all his matches pretty comfortably and started the match really well today, I am happy to get through and it has been the perfect start to the grass season." Andy Murray

It is his first grass-court title since winning Wimbledon for a second time in 2016, seven years ago, it gave him the opportunity of fulfilling his kids request of bringing a trophy home!

Murray took just one hour and 10 minutes of actual plying time to dispatch Rodionov and never looked troubled once he had broken the world number 134’s serve in the sixth game.

His main regret, however, was that the lengthy three-hour rain delay prevented his four children from actually witnessing him lifting the trophy following his win.

“My kids are always asking me when I go away if I am going to come home with a trophy – and it’s been rare over the last few years,” he said.

“They actually came two minutes before the rain started and my wife had to take them back home, so they missed the end of the match.

“But I think they watched it on TV – so Sophia, Edie, Teddy and Lola, I’ll bring you all a trophy tonight!”

Murray produced an impressive performance with some big serves and excellent returns to dominate his opponent much as he had done twelve months ago in the same tournament.

The Scot saved a break point in the opening game which was the only one he would face as he went on hit eight aces and numerous other unreturnable serves and demoralise Rodionov.

Murray was a break and 0-40 up on the Austrian’s serve in the second set when rain forced the players off court at about three twenty local time and when they returned at around quarter-past six, he required just 10-minutes to bring the final to it’s inevitable conclusion over 12 points.

“It is a good win. Jurij has played brilliant the whole week. He had won all his matches pretty comfortably and started the match really well today,” Murray commented. “I am happy to get through and it has been the perfect start to the grass season.”

The decision not to play Paris has proved to be a good one as it helps him in his aim to be seeded at Wimbledon.

It is not only his second Challenger title having won at Aix-en-Provence last May to become only the sixth player to win Challengers on different surfaces (clay and grass) but has also entered the record books as the ‘oldest’ grass-court champion in the 45-year history of Challenger series.

“I’ve chosen to come and play here and in Nottingham [next week] to hopefully get lots of matches under my belt so this week has been the perfect start,” Murray, currently ranked 44, said.

Earlier on Sunday, Britain’s Katie Swan lost 2-6 6-4 7-6(1) to Belgian Yanina Wickmayer in the women’s final.

Swan, 24, would have overtaken the injured Emma Raducanu as British number one had she won but having lost out after two-hours and 38- minute, it will be Katie Boulter, who lost in the semi-finals to the Belgian, who will take over that spot when the new rankings are released.