Andy Murray, who is trying to become Britain’s most winningest player ever, defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 in the third round of the Indian Wells tournament Monday.
The two-time Grand Slam winner Murray clinched the victory on his first match point when the German hit a forehand wide.
He finished with six aces and broke Kohlschreiber four times in the one hour, 50 minute match on centre court.
“He played better in the second set and I felt like I served better in the third set. I did well at the end to keep it going,” Murray said.
Murray advances to the fourth round where he will square off against France’s Adrian Mannarino.
Murray is now just two wins shy of passing Tim Henman (496) for the most career singles wins in the Open Era. He also needs just five more victories to join the 500 wins club.
Murray opened his season by reaching the Australian Open final where he lost to Serb star Novak Djokovic.
Eugenie Bouchard, who is looking to regain her form after missing time on the WTA Tour with an injury, defeated Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-2 in the third round.
The world number seven advances to the fourth round where she will face Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.
“She has a lot of great weapons,” Bouchard said of American Vandeweghe. “I was able to neutralize them and step in and play my game.”
Bouchard broke Vandeweghe three times and won 80 percent of her first serve points in the 65-minute game in front of a crowd of about 6,000 on centre court.
“I felt very solid today. I told myself to be ready for anything and take my chances when I had them.”
Canada’s Bouchard reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open earlier this year, losing to Maria Sharapova.
Bouchard, who turned 21 last month, withdrew from this year’s Dubai and Monterrey tournaments with a right forearm problem.
She said the arm isn’t giving her any more problems.
“I didn’t face a break point until my last game. I was holding serve pretty easily,” Bouchard said.
– Grand Slam goal –
Bouchard says her goal this year is to keep improving but ultimately she has her sights set on winning a Grand Slam like Wimbledon.
“I want to be more consistent this year. I think that’s something I can improve on from last year,” she said. “Since I was young, my dream was to win Wimbledon and win a Grand Slam. So in my head just lifting up a slam trophy like that is the ultimate thing I want to do in my career.”
In other matches Monday, Swiss 31st seed Belinda Bencic scored the first big upset of the tournament by beating fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-4, 6-4.
Tsurenko beat Alize Cornet 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 and Adrian Mannarino of France defeated 14th seeded Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-4.
Taking the court later in the day is second seed Maria Sharapova and defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic.