Rain stops play in The Desert

Last week’s San Diego champion Katie Boulter suffered a straight sets first round defeat 3-6,2-6 against world No. 106 Camila Giorgi  in Indian Wells.

Winner of four WTA titles, the Italian took just 78 minute to wrap up the win.

Further bad news for the Brits came as Jack Draper disappointingly lost in three sets having raced away with the first set 6-1, before succumbing to a rampant Aussie, Chris O’Connell who took the next two sets 6-3, 6-2

Andy Murray steadied the British ship with his best display of 2024 to dispatch David Goffin 6-3,6-2.

The three times Grand Slam champion, playing what he has indicated will be his last season on the tour made it a perfect 8-0 over the Belgian.

After a miserable start to his final campaign, the former world No 1 Murray put on a powerful display of all round tennis.

“That’s the best I’ve served here,” Murray said.

“I’ve always struggled serving, certainly the last 10 years or so when I’ve been here for whatever reason. Today felt much better”

Former British No. 1 and now Sky Sports TV pundit Tim Henman  was impressed with Murray’s return to form,  suggesting “his confirmation that he will end his career at some point in 2024 may have allowed him to play with more freedom”

“You want to see him out on court enjoying himself. He is a perfectionist but that hasn’t been happening of late”

Murray faces a stiffer test in the second round against No. 5 seed Andry Rublev.

Although Indian Wells gets only 5 inches of rain year compared with the US average of 38 inches,  play was unexpectedly suspended for two hours on all courts.

Main photo:- Andy Murray winning in Indian Wells by ATPTour.com