Murray too strong for Spanish wildcard in Valencia

ANDY Murray did not have to be at his best as he wrapped up a comfortable victory in the first round of the Valencia Open 500.

Facing Spanish wildcard Daniel Gimeno-Traver, the Scot overcame a sloppy spell in the first set to secure a 6-3, 6-1 win.

World number four Murray raced into a 3-0 lead before taking the first set with three breaks of serve, and improved in the second set to break twice more and wrap up a match which lasted exactly an hour.

The Scot will now play Leonardo Mayer in the second round after the Argentinian defeated Russia’s Igor Andreev 6-3, 6-3.

Home hope Juan Carlos Ferrero was dumped out after a stirring comeback from Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas.

Ferrero led 6-2, 5-2 and looked set to close out victory inside an hour, but his 23-year-old opponent roared back to take the second set on a tie-break.

A second-serve ace then brought about his first match point and, though that was saved, he took the second to complete a 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 win.

There was better news for the tournament’s number eight seed, David Ferrer, who came through a tight all-Spanish clash with Nicolas Almagro.

A late second break gave Ferrer the first set 7-5 and, after dropping the second on a tie-break, he stormed through the decider to win 7-5, 6-7, 6-2.