Diego Schwartzman ended Andy Murray’s hopes of another Antwerp title with a straight-sets, second round win on Thursday, saying it was a “pleasure” to finally face the former world No 1.

Second seed Schwartzman carved out a 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory over the three-time Grand Slam title winner who won the last of his 46 career titles in the Belgian port city in 2019.

In the first round, the 34-year-old Scot, who has suffered career-threatening hip injuries, had saved two match points to pull off a 7-6 (2), 6-7 (9), 7-6 (8) victory over Frances Tiafoe. It had raised hopes of another deep run for the former world No 1.

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Thursday’s meeting was the first time the two men had met on court despite both being on the tour for well over a decade.

“It was a pleasure to play against Andy,” 29-year-old Schwartzman, the runner-up in 2016 and 2017, said in his on-court interview.

“We had not played before and he is coming back and every week he is playing better and moving better.

“I have a lot of respect because when I grew up playing tennis, I was watching Roger, Rafa, Andy and Novak and right now playing against him, is a pleasure for me.”

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Schwartzman will face either American Brandon Nakashima or Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland for a place in the semi-finals.

With AFP Inputs