Murray is quick to quell minor tremor under roof

With rain bringing an early end to play elsewhere on the opening day, all eyes were on the men’s fourth seed, who was expected to breeze through against Spain’s 11th best player.

However, Gimeno-Traver had other ideas and made Murray’s life distinctly uncomfortable for a set and a half before the Scot, who had struggled in his only previous match under the roof two years ago, turned the contest around in style, reeling off 15 games in a row.

Murray said: “He was hitting the ball very big and I did well to hang in there in the second set.

“The conditions are different. It’s only the second time in my life I’ve played on an indoor grass court.

“It does change. There’s no wind or elements to contend with. It’s good conditions to play in and he was hitting the ball so cleanly at the start of the match but I did well.

“I’ve played against him before and I’ve practised with him and I’ve seen him play some great matches.

“He can be quite up and down but he started great. I was a little bit surprised he hasn’t had great results on the grass before.”

Murray insisted he had not underestimated the challenge. “Not at all,” he said.

He has come to Wimbledon in arguably his best shape, looking confident and relaxed and with the grass-court title at Queen’s already under his belt.

World No 59 Gimeno-Traver had won only four games when they previously met in Valencia two years ago but he possesses a big serve and forehand and both helped him save a break point in the fourth game.

The Spaniard threatened Murray’s serve for the first time in the ninth game. Two break points disappeared with big serves but on the third Murray placed a forehand wide. That left Gimeno-Traver serving for the set and he took it in 43 minutes when a scrambled lob by Murray landed long.

The 25-year-old was playing out of his skin, going for and making huge shots off both his forehand and backhand wing and giving Murray a much tougher outing than he might have expected.

But there was no ranting and raving from the Scot, who was urging himself on almost discreetly, and he took his chance when Gimeno-Traver wobbled for the first time in the eighth game of the second set.

Two break points came and went but on the third a trademark backhand down the line proved too hot for his opponent, prompting a first roar of ‘Come on’ from Murray as he levelled the match.

After weathering the storm, the expectation was the 24-year-old would stamp his authority on proceedings, and that is exactly what happened at the start of the third set.

A brilliant forehand cross-court pass earned him a break in the opening game and from there the pair’s fortunes went in vastly different directions.

All Gimeno-Traver’s belief seemed to have drained away and he was broken twice more before calling a medical time-out for treatment to his right thigh.

The delay did not affect Murray, though, as he served out the set to love.

The end was nigh when the British No 1 made it 10 games in a row with another break at the start of the fourth set.

That tally climbed swiftly as Murray relaxed and Gimeno-Traver conceded his race was most definitely run.

Serving at 4-0 behind, the Spaniard was a spectator as his opponent creamed winners at will off forehand and backhand.

Murray then wrapped up the match and his second 6-0 set in a row in brilliant style with a dinked backhand winner that brought the crowd to their feet.