BEIJING • Andy Murray stormed into the China Open quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Andrey Kuznetsov yesterday, as the women's tournament saw an upset as second seed Garbine Muguruza was beaten 6-1, 6-4 by Petra Kvitova.
World No. 2 Murray, back in action after suffering a thigh injury playing for Britain in the Davis Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina, produced another composed display to defeat the Russian world No. 45 without too much cause for concern.
Earlier Kyle Edmund, the British No. 2, beat Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in three sets to set up an all-British quarter-final with Murray. The 21-year-old, who provisionally moved into the top 50 after beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the first round, claimed a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory against the world No. 18.
A tight contest was settled in game seven of the third set with Edmund, a qualifier, breaking Bautista and then holding serve to complete another impressive win.
Murray and Edmund have met in competitive action just once, at Queen's this year, when Murray came through 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
In other men's second-round action, German Alexander Zverev, 19, beat American Jack Sock 6-4, 6-2.
He will face 13th-ranked veteran David Ferrer, 34, in the next round, after the Spaniard beat Italy's Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-4.
The women's top seed Angelique Kerber booked her spot in the round of 16, beating Barbora Strycova 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
"I was just trying to be more aggressive, so that was my plan, to just to go for it, and (to make) her run," Kerber said after the match.
The German two-time Grand Slam champion will next meet Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who downed Germany's Sabine Lisicki 6-4, 6-4.
Ninth-ranked Madison Keys dismissed two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (7-2), 6-2. Keys will play Czech Kvitova in the quarter-finals.
The American is targeting a final spot to qualify for the WTA Finals in Singapore later this month. Briton Johanna Konta is also in the running to qualify for the season finale for the first time - and possibly break into the top 10 - as she beat Timea Babos 7-5, 6-2.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE GUARDIAN
