Winston-Salem Open 2021 Draw: Andy Murray to Face Nick Kyrgios in R1

Its tennis heaven as entertainment greets fans with worthwhile on-court battles. Continuing an already eventful season, top athletes take to the courts in Cincinnati, preparing for the mega-event, the 2021 US Open. However, even as the Western and Southern Open edges closer to its curtain call, fans have little to be sad about. Coming to the rescue is the ATP Winston-Salem Open that is all set to kick-start on the 22nd of August, with Andy Murray and Nick Kyrgios being the highlight.

The Winston-Salem Open is an ATP 250 event, which is the last men’s tournament of the US Open series, ahead of the ultimate competition. Notably, it sent fans into a frenzy, courtesy of an entertaining draw. Among the many enthralling battles, one that surely had fans ecstatic was the first-round clash between Nick Kyrgios and Andy Murray.

Battle of the best

Only recently, Andy accepted a wildcard entry in the ATP event. Undoubtedly, another chance of catching Britain’s golden boy in action sent fans over the moon. However, if that wasn’t tempting enough, he now gears up to face the sport’s ‘showman’, antic specialist, Nick Kyrgios.

While Nick maintains his ‘bad boy’ of tennis impression, Andy claims to be a fan of the Aussie. Revealing who he enjoys watching the most, Andy said, “I like watching [Nick] Kyrgios when he’s into it. When he’s not into it, I don’t enjoy that at all. But when he’s into it, I really enjoy watching him.”

This would be only a second appearance for Andy at the North Carolina-based event. Given his stature, he is undoubtedly the favorite to claim the ultimate prize. Notably, the two ATP stars are familiar with each other, having met on 6 occasions previously, with Murray winning the head-to-head battle 5-1.

However, coming back from injury, his recent run of form has not been the best. Hence, fans possess a doubt over his performance this time around.

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Andy Murray masterclass incoming?

Despite the unfortunate results, it’s been a year to remember for Andy. He made an astonishing comeback to the sport at the 2021 Wimbledon Championship, following a career-threatening hip injury. He ran a riot on the court, leaving fans spellbound, putting ‘vintage Andy’ on display. However, just when all seemed to be going right, his dream return met with its unfortunate reality. The former World No. 1 bowed out of the tournament in the third round, leaving fans hopeless and heartbroken.

Ever since then, Andy has been on the go. From the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to the Western and Southern Open, he has made several appearances, but none were notable enough. His quest to etch a fairytale return is evident in his actions, but sadly, his thirst for another title remains unquenched.

With the US Open now coming close, will Andy Murray finally mark his dream return? Or, despite his grit and determination, will he record yet another disappointing outing?

Read more: How does Rafael Nadal’s Exit From the US Open Affect the Race to Turin?