Andy Murray's return to the sharp end of tennis continues on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports Arena from 8.30pm. Murray meets Romania's Marius Copil in the third round of the Citi Open in Washington, 24 hours after beating his successor as the British No 1, Kyle Edmund. Three-time Grand Slam winner Murray entered the week ranked at No 832 in the world owing to the hip injury that has plagued him since last year's Wimbledon. But beating Edmund on Wednesday in three sets, in just his fifth match of 2018, represents Murray's best moment since his injury nightmare began. Alexander Zverev Brothers Alexander and Mischa Zverev are to oppose each other for the first time, before Murray's match. Alexander, the younger of the siblings, is the world No 3, top seed in the tournament and one of the hottest up-and-coming properties in the sport. Mischa, nine years older at 30, is ranked at No 42. Watch the Citi Open in Washington, featuring Zverev v Zverev then Murray v Copil, from 8:30pm live on Sky Sports Arena.<doc-sep>Get email updates with the day's biggest stories Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Andy Murray was reduced to tears after beating Marius Copil to secure his spot in the Citi Open quarter-final. The Brit broke down following his 7-6 (7/5) 3-6 7-6 (7/4) victory over the Romanian in a match that finished after 3am local time in Washington. Copil lost five points in a row in a first-set tiebreak, but then won seven on the bounce to take an early lead. Murray battled away in the second set, securing an early break, as the game progressed into the early hours in the US capital. The former world number one then forced another break on Copil's serve to close out the set 6-3 and take the game to a decider. (Image: Getty Images North America) (Image: Getty Images North America) (Image: Getty Images North America) Murray ramped up the pressure on the Copil serve and secured a break in the sixth game to move 4-2 up. But the Romanian immediately broke back and then held to level the match, which moved beyond the latest previous finish time of 2.27am. The final set, like the first, went to a tie-break and Murray demonstrated the strength of his fitness to see it out past 3am. The emotion of the occasion got to Murray, who sat for a prolonged period of time with his head buried in his towel when the match was over, apparently sobbing. Murray, currently ranked 832, in the world faces Alex de Minaur for a place in the last four.<doc-sep>SHATTERED Andy Murray broke down in tears after finally winning his epic last-16 clash at the Citi Open at 3am. Relief poured out of the Scot for almost two minutes after he beat Marius Copil to take another successful step in his stunning comeback. 8 Andy Murray broke down in floods of tears at the end of a marathon three-set win over Marius Copil Credit: Getty Images The former world number one – currently ranked 832nd – took out Copil 6-7 6-3 7-6 to set up a clash with Aussie youngster Alex de Minaur in what will be his first quarter-final in over a year. But Murray then threatened to pull out of the match – scheduled for the early hours of this morning – in a blast at organisers for starting the rain-delayed match at midnight to leave him exhausted. When asked his body is holding up, Murray replied: "It doesn't feel great, just now. "Not playing, potentially, is possible. 8 Murray cried into his towel as relief poured out at the end of his victory in Washington Credit: Sky Sports 8 Murray battled back after losing the first set in Washington Credit: Getty Images "As someone who's just come back from a very, very long injury lay-off, I don't think I should be put in a position like that when you're expected to come out and perform the next day. "I don't think it's reasonable. And I'm disappointed with that, because I know that the weather's tricky and I know it is for the scheduling, but it's a very difficult position to be in. "I don't know how you are expected to recover from that. By the time you're done with all your recovery and stuff, it's going to be 5:30, 6 o'clock in the morning. "I'd obviously try and sleep as late as I can, but with the way your body clock is and stuff, you know, you might get a few hours' sleep. "It's not good. And it's basically like playing two matches in a day. 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Playing in just his third tournament since an 11-month break following surgery, it was an amazing show of resilience from Murray as his hip held out in his third three-set match this week. After all the doubts from pundits – and probably himself – about whether he would return to this kind of level, the 31-year-old sat on his chair and sobbed into his towel at the end of it. But there were not many Washington locals in to witness after play went on later than it ever has before in the tournament's 50-year history. 8 Marius Copil gave Murray a serious workout in the marathon three-set match Credit: Getty Images When Murray's energy returns he should feel even more battle-hardened, with his other wins this week over Mackenzie McDonald and Kyle Edmund also going the distance. There were encouraging signs as his rhythm improved throughout the match. The three-time Grand Slam winner looked to be cruising in a first set tie-break when he won five points in a row. But Copil, 27, turned the breaker on its head and won SEVEN points on the spin to move one set up. 8 Andy Murray beat Marius Copil to reach the quarter-finals of the Citi Open Credit: AP:Associated Press 8 Murray breaks down at the end of his win over Romanian player Marius Copil Credit: AP:Associated Press 8 Murray looked exhausted as he waved to fans at 3am following his emotional win Credit: Getty Images Falling a set behind appeared to spark him to life and he grabbed an early break in the second against the world number 93. The Scot secured the set with another break of serve to move the match to a decider. Copil's habit of missing first serves allowed Murray chances to grab another early break in the third. And Copil did drop his third service game – only to immediately inflict the same treatment on Murray and not offer him another sniff of a break with an avalanche of aces. Murray won the final set tie-break 7-4 at 3:02 in the morning before the tears flowed. 8 Murray still looked emotional as he walked off the court in Washington Credit: AP:Associated Press<doc-sep>
Last updated on .From the section Tennis Britain's former world number one Andy Murray says he may not play his Washington Open quarter-final after sealing his third-round victory at 03:02 local time. Murray, 31, broke down in tears after beating Romanian Marius Copil 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-4). The Scot is due to play Alex de Minaur of Australia in the quarter-finals later on Friday. "I don't know how players are expected to recover from that," Murray said. "Not playing, potentially, is possible. "My body doesn't feel great right now. Finishing matches at three in the morning isn't good for anyone involved in the event - players, TV, fans, anyone. "When you're expected to come back and perform the next day, I think that's unreasonable." Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray is playing only his third tournament since hip surgery in January and his last eight tie with de Minaur would mark his first quarter-final since Wimbledon in 2017. Murray - now ranked 832 in the world - lost the first set against Copil in one hour and six minutes, having taken a 5-0 lead in the tie-break before losing seven points in a row. He broke Copil twice in the second set to take it in 45 minutes and looked set to take the third comfortably when he secured a break in the sixth game to move 4-2 up. But the Romanian, ranked 93rd, immediately broke back before holding serve to level the match, before Murray's fitness prevailed in the deciding tie-break. An emotional Murray then sat courtside and sobbed into his towel. The tournament's previous latest finish was 02:27 local time.