Andy Murray eyeing up leap in the rankings after another win in Metz

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Andy Murray

Andy Murray is one win away from a return to the top 100 in the ATP rankings after a convincing 6-3 6-3 win over Vasek Pospisil at the Moselle Open in Metz.

The Scot had come through his first-round match against world No.26 Ugo Humbert on Tuesday in three sets and now he has backed up that win with an impressive display against No.66 ranked player Pospisil.

“I was trying to make him work on his service games, and he has an excellent serve, then likes to dictate with the first ball after,” Murray said in his courtside interview, broadcast on Amazon Prime.

“I was trying to focus on getting lots of returns back and then when I got the opportunity I was trying to put some pressure on him, I think I did that well.

“For the most part, I served pretty good, lost my rhythm a bit at the end of the first set, start of the second, but I returned well and played a smart match.

“Even after I was a break down, I was still creating chances and once I got back into the second set I gained a bit of confidence and was a little bit more offensive, that was what turned the match for me.”

Murray, runner-up in Metz in 2007, will next face either Polish top seed Hubert Hurkacz, the world number 13, or Frenchman Lucas Pouille.

“For me, this period of the last few years has been the most I have played really,” added Murray, who had pushed world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas to five sets in the first round of the US Open last month.

“My body feels good and I am starting to gain just a little bit of confidence with each match, starting to see the points and how I want to play them, which is great.

“There have been times in the past year where I have been a little bit confused and not seeing how the points are developing which was always a strong part of my game.

“It made me feel quite uncomfortable on court when I was feeling that way, so I am starting to get that back and the results are coming, my tennis is getting better.”

Murray, 34, added: “I would love to get another opportunity to play here in the final, but there is a lot of tennis to be played before then potentially against the number one seed in the next round.

“It is not going to be easy if I want to reach the final, but I am playing well and have an opportunity.”

Murray will now have a day off and could face Wimbledon semi-finalist Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals, who takes on Lucas Pouille on Thursday.

If Murray went on to win the event in Metz, the former world No.1 would move up into the top 80 of the world rankings.

Andy Murray

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