Andy Murray registered his first victory on a tennis court for nearly a year after brushing aside a rusty Stan Wawrinka to set up an all-British tie again Kyle Edmund in the last-16 of the Eastbourne International.
In a commanding all-round display, Murray committed very few errors in a highly-impressive first set, which the Scot won 6-1 as he toyed with his Swiss opponent a week after losing an entertaining encounter against Nick Kyrgios at Queen’s.
He kicked on in the second set, with his trademark returns in particular looking highly polished as he neutralised the threat of his opposite number.
He saved four break points in a crucial eighth game in the second set, before sealing the match in the following game in somewhat low-key fashion after Wawrinka served a double fault.
Despite being visibly fatigued during parts of the encounter Murray, in just his second match on the court since Wimbledon 2017, was delighted to taste that winning feeling once again.
"Obviously I am very happy to get the win,” said the 31-year-old double Wimbledon champion. “I thought the first set I played well, but the second set was patchy and I was a bit nervous.
"When you haven't played for the best part of a year, when you face someone like Stan it is tough. But obviously I am delighted to get the win.
"I was saying to my team before the draw I have no ranking now after Wimbledon so I wouldn't be on the computer.
“So I look at someone like Juan Martin del Potro and he has had some tough draws coming back from injury. You have to accept it and hopefully start winning some of those matches."
And on the prospect of facing Edmund for a place in the quarter-finals?
"Kyle has been fantastic and is a great player who is improving all the time,” added two-time Olympic gold winner Murray. “He has a great team behind him.
"He is getting close to the top of the game which is a credit to him and his team. I am expecting a tough match and will try to play my best."
Elsewhere, Heather Watson was defeated in an entertaining clash against French hitter Kristina Mladenovic.
Watson edged a hard-fought first set 7-6 (7-2) before being pegged back in the second 7-5. Mladenovic carried on this momentum to take the decider 6-3. But Harriet Dart ensured there would be a British woman in the last 32, after she defeated Russian Kristyna Pliskova 7-5 3-6 6-3.
Earlier in the day, rising star Jay Clarke made light work of American Ryan Harrison, the Derby teenager powering to a 6-4 6-1 victory to claim his first ATP Tour win.
Luke Bambridge and Jonny O’Mara progressed to the quarter-finals after defeating Dom Inglot and his Croatian partner Franko Skugor.
Sportsbeat 2018