London: Defending champion Andy Murray celebrated the news that he’s about to become a father again by reaching the Wimbledon second round Monday as Nick Kyrgios was forced to retire from his first round match against Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Monday.
Top seed and world number one Murray downed Kazakh lucky loser Alexander Bublik 6-1, 6-4, 6-2, shrugging off two brief rain delays and showing little sign of the hip problem which had plagued him in the build-up.
“I have felt OK the last few days and the adrenaline you feel by playing a match numbs any pain you may have,” said the British star after seeing off world number 134 Bublik who was making his grass court debut.
“Bublik is a bit of a character. He’s a bit different from other players, tries different shots and the crowd enjoyed the way he plays.”
Murray, whose baby daughter Sophia was born last year, next faces Dustin Brown, the man who knocked out Nadal two years ago.
German world number 97 Brown came back from a set and a break down to beat Portugal’s Joao Sousa 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4.
Kyrgios, who shocked Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014, won’t get another opportunity.
The combustible 20th seeded Australian was 6-3, 6-4 down to France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert when he called it quits on Court Three after failing to shake off the hip injury which has plagued him in recent weeks.
“I kind of knew I was in trouble. I have been feeling my hip ever since I fell over at Queen’s Club,” Kyrgios said.
“Never got it right. I was doing everything I could to help it, but just not enough time. Yeah, I mean, I just wasn’t 100 per cent.
Kei Nishikori, the Japanese ninth seed, beat Italy’s Marco Cecchinato 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 in just 72 minutes.
French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, twice a semi-finalist, eased past British wild card Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Sam Querrey of the United States, who stunned Novak Djokovic in the third round last year and precipitated the Serb’s slide from the top, also made the second round.
The 24th seed saw off Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano 7-6 (7/5), 7-5, 6-2.
“I spoke to the doctor before the tournament started. He was leaning towards me not even playing,” Kyrgios said.
“It’s my favourite tournament. I do well here every year. So it’s tough for me to go out there and pull out. It’s not the easiest thing for me to do.”
Kyrgios, then ranked 144th, burst onto the scene at Wimbledon in 2014 when he defeated then world number one Rafael Nadal en route to the quarter-finals.
But from the moment he stepped onto Court Three wearing long white leggings under his shorts, Kyrgios didn’t look comfortable.
“I thought I could win. Obviously probably not against him, but some opponents if I played them today, I probably still could have won,” he said.
“I could feel the hip a lot. It was hindering my performance a lot.”
Kyrgios would prefer not to undergo surgery, but is likely to have a scan this week to determine whether the hip has been aggravated by his decision to play Wimbledon.
“Probably get an MRI tomorrow. Hopefully get an injection or something, do rehab, and get healthy,” Kyrgios said.
“I don’t think anyone wants to go down the surgery route. I would do everything possible to avoid it.
“I mean, I’m obviously a little bit scared. But I don’t think I need it at the moment.”
Herbert will face French compatriot Benoit Paire for a place in the third round.
