Andy Murray drew a tricky opponent in the opening round of the Erste Bank Open 500 on Wednesday, but passed the test in beating Martin Klizan 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-0. The win bolstered Murray’s quest to reach World No. 1, as he entered the week only 915 points behind Novak Djokovic (10,600) in the Emirates ATP Race To London and could take over top spot with a strong late-season showing. He improved to 65-9 on the year.
Murray had never faced the left-handed Klizan in tour-level action, and the Slovakian looked to take control of the match in the early going. The Brit saved three break points in his first two service games before finding his range and claiming the opener. Klizan looked vanquished with Murray serving for the match at 6-5 in the second set, but used his powerful forehand to break back and extend the match. The underdog finally ran out of steam in the deciding set, winning only eight points and succumbing after two hours and 22 minutes.
The top seed, who won Vienna in 2014, will face a familiar opponent in Gilles Simon in the second round. Murray is 15-2 in the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry.
John Isner became the first player to book his spot in the quarter-finals on Wednesday after a hard-fought 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(2) victory over 2004 champion Feliciano Lopez in two hours and 13 minutes. Isner hit 52 winners, including 31 aces, for his fifth win in eight meetings against Lopez.
Ivo Karlovic is also into the last eight after surviving Damir Dzumhur 7-6(6), 4-6, 7-6(5). Karlovic fired 33 aces and joined Isner and Goran Ivanisevic as the only players to eclipse the 1,000-ace mark in four seasons.
#NextGen star Karen Khachanov moved into the quarter-finals after dismissing Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-2, 7-5. The 20 year old will next face Karlovic.
In first-round action, three-time former semi-finalist Philipp Kohlschreiber came within two points of defeat against Stephane Robert, but did enough to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) in two hours and 17 minutes. He now plays sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Elsewhere, Albert Ramos-Vinolas will face 2009 and 2010 titlist Jurgen Melzer after he swept past Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-2 in 56 minutes.