Rain halts Murray's return at Queen's

AFP/London

Murray, a two-time Queen’s champion, missed the recent French Open after aggravating a recurring lower back injury during a Rome Masters match against Marcel Granollers in May.

This was the world number two’s first competitive action since then and he showed few signs of rust as he took the first set 6-3. But the dark clouds hanging over the west London venue soon gave way to persistent showers and Murray was forced off court three times at the start of the second set.

Murray was understandably keen not to risk injury with Wimbledon looming and the US Open champion made it clear he wanted to come off when a downpour triggered a third interruption with the score level at 2-2.

The 26-year-old had suffered a shock defeat against Mahut at the same stage of the pre-Wimbledon warm-up event 12 months ago. And if the rain doesn’t relent, he will have to return today to finish his revenge mission against Mahut.

Murray’s next opponent, if he advances, is Australia’s Marinko Matosevic, who received a walkover into the last 16 after his scheduled opponent, French veteran Michael Llodra, pulled out with a hamstring injury.

Earlier, Lleyton Hewitt admitted he was glad to put a smile back on the face of Australian sport with an impressive 6-4, 6-3 second-round win over Bulgarian 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov.

Hewitt awoke to news that Australia cricketer David Warner had been dropped for his country’s Champions Trophy match against New Zealand after reports he had made an “unprovoked physical attack” on England star Joe Root in a Birmingham bar on Sunday.

Warner’s clash with Root came just hours after Australia were beaten by England in the Champions Trophy, a defeat that fuelled the growing belief that the Australians are in danger of being humiliated by their arch-rivals in the forthcoming Ashes series.

Against that backdrop of strife, Australia’s sporting public needed a lift and Hewitt delivered as he rolled back the years to rout world number 28 Dimitrov and reach the last 16.

“I don’t know about Warner, but obviously leading into the Ashes, so everyone’s mind is hard,” Hewitt said. “I wouldn’t write our boys off. I know (Australia captain) Michael Clarke pretty well, and he will be looking forward to it.” World number 82 Hewitt, a four-time Queen’s champion, next faces a last-16 clash against American sixth seed Sam Querrey.

Czech second seed Tomas Berdych was a 6-1, 6-4 winner against Holland’s Thiemo De Bakker, while defending champion Marin Cilic, who won the title in bizarre circumstances when David Nalbandian was disqualified during the final for kicking a line-judge, started his bid to retain the trophy with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over fellow Croat Ivan Dodig.

Federer sees off Stebe in Halle

Roger Federer is on course to win his fifth Gerry Weber Open title after a 6-3, 6-3 second-round victory over Germany's Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in Halle yesterday.

The Swiss had Stebe under pressure from the start, breaking in the very first game with several deep forehands which had the world No. 166 pegged to the baseline. Stebe failed to break back, handing number one seed Federer several easy points for a routine service hold.

The 17-time Grand Slam singles champion returned the favour with misplaced backhands to allow Stebe his first game on the board.

It proved a momentary lapse from the world No. 3 as Federer again hit deep towards the baseline to force the pressure; it soon paid off as Stebe netted his forehand to gift the double break.

Federer next faces world No. 156 Mischa Zverev in the quarter-finals after the German saw off Mirza Basic 7-6(5), 6-3.

Elsewhere, Mikhail Youzhny overcame fourth seed Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-3 to book his place in the quarter-finals.