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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Sports Staff

Andy Murray set for penultimate tournament of 2018

Andy Murray is due to play in his penultimate tournament of 2018 at the Shenzhen Open on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old former world No 1, now ranked 311 after a lengthy injury spell, is scheduled to face Zhizhen Zhang of China, world number 340, on Tuesday.

Both players are wildcards for the tournament in southern China and the winner will play top seed David Goffin of Belgium.

There was a British player in action in southern China on Monday, Cameron Norrie progressing in straight sets ahead of wildcard Di Wu of China.

Murray on Saturday used Facebook to say the China Open in Beijing would be his final tournament of the year, with his first appearance in Shenzhen since 2014 the prelude to that. The Scot says he needs a lengthy break to try to find peak condition for 2019.

Murray who has won five and lost four matches in 2018, said on the ATP website: "I'm not quite back to where I'd like to be yet, but kind of improving each week.

"Hopefully, I can play some good tennis and get on a bit of a run."

Norrie, the British number two and ranked 73rd in the world, won 6-2 6-2 in one hour 10 minutes against Di.

The 23-year-old is next due to face Croatia's world number 18 Borna Coric, who received a first-round bye.

Elsewhere, there was disappointment for Johanna Konta as the British number one was beaten in straight sets in the first round of the Wuhan Open.

Konta lost 7-5 6-4 to Australia's Ashley Barty, the 16th seed, in one hour 40 minutes.

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