Murray wins 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 to progress; Evans also through as Bedene is beaten
Tuesday 17 January 2017 07:01, UK
World No 1 Andy Murray kicked off his Australian Open campaign with a hard-fought straight-sets victory against Illya Marchenko on Monday.
The top seed had been expected to make short work of Ukraine's Marchenko, having beaten him in straight sets in the second round in 2011, but was pushed hard before prevailing 7-5 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in two hours and 47 minutes.
Murray conceded a 5-3 lead in the first set, but broke at a crucial time to eventually take it in 55 minutes. He then fought back from 4-2 down in a physical encounter to win the next in a tie-break, with temperatures touching 32 degrees Celsius.
And he capitalised on a fading Marchenko with two breaks of serve in the third as he finally found his range to complete victory on Rod Laver Arena.
Murray will be looking to improve on a scruffy performance that included 27 unforced errors when he faces world No 152 Andrey Rublev next after the 19-year-old Russian upset Yen-Hsun Lu, 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-0) 6-3.
"I've never won here," said Murray, who has lost a record five finals at Melbourne Park. "Lost in the final a few times so I'm hoping to go one better this time."
Dan Evans, who also enjoyed success in Sydney by finishing runner-up, continued his fine form by defeating Argentinian Facundo Bagnis.
The British No 3 moved through to the second round in Melbourne for the first time with a 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 6-1 in under two hours.
But he faces a tough encounter against seventh-ranked Marin Cilic next after the Croatian came back from two sets down to beat Poland's Jerzy Janowicz 4-6 4-6 6-2 6-2 6-3.
Aljaz Bedene became Britain's first casualty after he lost in four sets to Dominican veteran Victor Estrella Burgos.
Estrella Burgos, who turns 37 later this year, is the fourth oldest singles player in the men's draw in Melbourne but he proved too strong for an inconsistent Bedene, winning 7-6 (9-7) 7-5 0-6 6-3.
It is the fifth time in a row Bedene has lost in the opening round in Melbourne, while world No 103 Estrella Burgos goes through to face Australian Bernard Tomic.
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