Former Toronto Masters winners Andy Murray and Alexander Zverev dispatched first-round opponents in windy circumstances on Tuesday to energy into the second spherical of the Canadian hardcourt occasion. Britain’s Murray labored by a marathon opening set earlier than dominating the second for a 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. The 36-year-old Scotsman, with three Canadian titles on his resume, earned his first victory within the nation since his 2015 trophy as he defeated the Italian in two hours, eight minutes in a difficult wind.

Germany’s Zverev, who defeated Roger Federer for the 2017 Canadian title, reached the second spherical by defeating Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).

Third seed Casper Ruud started his US Open run-up after a bye, struggling at the beginning however wrapping up a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 defeat of Jiri Lehecka for a 199th profession ATP match win.

The Norwegian trailed 4-0 within the first-set tiebreaker however discovered type in his first hardcourt match of the summer time to succeed in the third spherical.

“I told myself not to give up, just keep holding onto the score,” he stated. “I saved a couple of set points.

“It was all about luck and margins they usually had been on my facet. By the tip of the second set I used to be hitting and serving higher — I’m glad how I progressed within the match.”

Murray won his only previous encounter with Sonego last February in Doha, saving three match points. Murray, ranked 40th to his opponent’s 39th, also lifted the trophy here in 2009 and 2010.

Murray’s opening set lasted 90 minutes, with the two-time Wimbledon winner saving set points in the 10th game.

He profitted from Sonego’s 44 unforced errors to sweep into the second round.

“I’m actually happy to have received. Those had been blustery circumstances,” Murray said. “The wind was altering circumstances throughout the factors.

“We knew it would be like this after hitting here this morning. The breeze added a bit of stress.”

Murray stated getting by the primary set was a problem.

“It was tight, there were a lot of opportunities on both sides,” he stated. “I managed to sneak through the tiebreaker, he probably got disappointed and I relaxed a bit in the second set.

“I hope to construct confidence and win a couple of matches,” said the three-time Grand Slam champion, who exited last week in the Washington third round to Taylor Fritz.

“I had success right here however it was a very long time in the past. Hopefully I can construct some momentum.”

Former ATP number two Zverev, seeded 13th and playing here for the first time in four years, extended his current win streak to six matches after taking his home event in Hamburg last month.

The German battled the wind for an hour and three-quarters to prevail.

He sent down an ace for three match points and won as his opponent missed on a drop shot attempt.

Evans, Norrie ousted

Zverev ended with 27 winners and 20 unforced errors — the exact reversal of Griekspoor’s 20 and 27.

“It was a win in powerful circumstances,” Zverev said. “It was very windy.

“I’m just happy to get through. I hope it gets nicer to play tomorrow.”

Britain didn’t get two males into the second spherical as Eleventh-seeded Cameron Norrie went down 7-5, 6-4 to weekend Los Cabos finalist Alex de Minaur of Australia.

Britain suffered one other blow as Dan Evans, who took his first ATP title in 2 1/2 years on Sunday at Washington, misplaced to Canadian wild card Gabriel Diallo 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, the native taking his first tour-level match triumph.

Canada misplaced its primary as Felix Auger-Aliassime suffered his fifth consecutive loss on his twenty third birthday, falling 6-4, 6-4 to Australian qualifier Max Purcell, the world quantity 78 whose subsequent foe shall be Murray.

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