Andy Murray claimed his first win since returning from a hip injury as he trounced fellow three-time grand slam champion Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Eastbourne championships yesterday.

An unlikely clash on the sunbaked south coast between two wildcards ranked 156th and 225th respectively was not much of a contest but was hugely significant for Murray as he tested his fitness for next week’s Wimbledon grand slam event.

It was Murray’s first match win since he beat Benoit Paire in the last 16 of Wimbledon 350 days ago before he hobbled out against American Sam Querrey to end his Wimbledon title defense.