Andy Murray earns Canadian Open victory over Lorenzo Sonego in nine-year return to Toronto

Andy Murray got off to a winning start at the Canadian Open as he downed Lorenzo Sonego 7-6(3) 6-0 to advance to the second round. The world No 40 needed 88 minutes to get through the opening set but raced through the second in what was his first appearance in Toronto in almost a decade.

Murray was playing in Toronto for the first time since 2014, with the Canadian Open alternating between the Ontario capital and Montreal each year. It was his second meeting against Sonego, having defeated the Italian in Doha earlier this season after saving three match points.

There was nothing separating them in the opening set as both men blew break point chances early on in the match. The Brit was unable to capitalise on his third break opportunity at 4-4 and saved two set points in the following game.

They eventually went to a tiebreak where Murray raced to a 6-2 lead and finally closed it out 7-6(3) after an hour and 28 minutes. It was a much faster start from the world No 40 in the second set as he broke in Sonego’s first service game and went 3-0 up.