Andy Murray believes the manner of his victory over Kyle Edmund at the Washington Open was just as important as the result.
The former world No 1 prevailed 7-6, 1-6, 6-4 in the battle of the Brits to clinch the biggest win of his comeback from hip surgery.
Murray, now 832nd in the world rankings, was facing the man who replaced him as British No 1 and gained a measure of revenge for his straight-sets defeat to Edmund at Eastbourne in June.
It was another testing occasion for the Scot, who was taken to a decider for a second time this week having edged out Mackenzie McDonald in the first round.
But Murray, 31, was particularly encouraged by a more attacking display against his compatriot, telling the ATP Tour website: "It was much better, just in terms of the way I actually played the match.
___________
Read more
Andy Murray takes a big step forward in his long road of recovery
Roger Federer: Rogers Cup withdrawal means less preparation for US Open
Novak Djokovic: A remarkable champion who struggles to capture hearts of tennis fans
Angelique Kerber: Backed to complete career Grand Slam after Wimbledon triumph
___________
"In the first match I basically spent the whole match defending, I was playing quite far behind the baseline. And that's not really how I want to be playing moving forward.
"I spoke at good length with my coach about that. Today, regardless of the result, we wanted to at least be dictating more points, trying to use my forehand, be closer to the baseline.
"I think I did that, especially in some of the important moments in the third set. I was being more offensive. I was a lot happier with the way I approached the match."
Murray was take on Marius Copil in the last 16 around 5am UAE time today after the Romanian knocked out Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-4.
"I gave my best of what I had on the day today. Just didn't work out," Edmund said.
"It would have been nice to hold serve and maybe even control what I can and take [the third set] to a tie-break but it didn't happen."
Murray, who has added the China Open to his schedule in October as he continues his return from hip surgery earlier this year, said his body was being put through the wringer at the hard-court tournament.
"I feel better than I did during the grass-court season, which is positive," said Murray, who played three matches in late June but withdrew from Wimbledon as it came too early in his recovery process.
"So things are still getting better and I've lasted fairly well through two long matches here on a tough surface on the body.
"Hopefully I can keep healing up from the matches and feeling better."
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
