MMMM 2006 : 2006


Murray, Fish Advance to Second Round

Andy Murray will play third-seeded Ivan Ljubicic in the second round of the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid, the eighth ATP Masters Series event of the season.


Murray knocked out 24-year-old Spanish wild card Ivan Navarro Pastor 6-2, 6-4 in 79 minutes on Monday. The Scot won 26 of 30 points on first serve and broke his opponent’s serve three times.

Murray, who is No. 19 in the INDESIT ATP 2006 Race, improves his record for the season to 38-23 that includes his maiden ATP title in San Jose (d. Hewitt) and one runner-up finish in Washington (l. to Clement). His best ATP Masters Series performance came in August at Toronto when he lost to Richard Gasquet in the semifinals.

Davis Cup team mate Tim Henman also advanced to the second round with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Fernando Verdasco. Henman, who won his lone ATP Masters Series title indoors in Paris in 2003, next faces another Spaniard, 14th seed David Ferrer.

American qualifier Mardy Fish won his third career meeting over Xavier Malisse 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 50 minutes. Fish hit 14 aces, won 84 per cent of first serve and broke twice from two opportunities. Malisse, currently No. 38 in the INDESIT ATP Rankings, hit 16 aces and finished winning 88 per cent of first serves.

Fish will next meet defending champion and No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal in the second round. Nadal is looking for his seventh career ATP Masters Series title.

France's Julien Benneteau needed only 58 minutes to set up a second round clash against No. 4 seed David Nalbandian, who is No. 8 in the INDESIT ATP 2006 Race. Benneteau beat fellow qualifier Alejandro Falla 6-2, 6-1.

Paradorn Srichaphan advanced safely into the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Spanish qualifier Gorka Fraile, to improve his season match record to 27-29 (24-18 on hard courts). The Thai won 80% of first serves and hit four aces, with four breaks of serve. Srichaphan will next meet No. 10 seed Fernando Gonzalez, runner-up in Vienna last week.

ATP World No. 1 Roger Federer, aiming for his fourth ATP Masters Series title of the season and 12th crown overall, will play Nicolas Massu in the second round. Massu advanced when Gaston Gaudio retired due to a stomach injury at one set all.

Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela claimed his first win in four career meetings with former World No.1 Carlos Moya, defeating the Spaniard 6-3, 6-2. Chela saved both break points he faced and dropped just eight point on his serve during the match.

Moya, who slipped to a disappointing 3-4 career in Madrid, has lost four of his past five matches since claiming his 500th career match win in Bucharest. Moya has won more matches than nay other active ATP player.




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