Spaniard provides stern test as Murray triumphs

Andy Murray admits he was given a tough examination by Spaniard Ivan Navarro as the defending champion edged into the third round of the AEGON-sponsored Championships with a 7-6 6-3 victory at Queen's.

The world No 4 was pushed all the way by Navarro's serve-and-volley performance, particularly in an opening set which he eventually won 7-6 (10/8).

The 28-year-old Spaniard took every opportunity to charge to the net but Murray, sporting a strapping on his right knee, produced some wonderful shots to finally eclipse his opponent.

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The Scot will now play either American Mardy Fish or Santiago Giraldo of Colombia in the third round.

"It was a tough first match," said Murray. "He served very, very well in the first set.

"I didn't return particularly well. It was tricky play and not what you expect from a Spaniard, coming forward on every point. It was good.

"It's nice to see someone serve and volley. I haven't played a serve-and-volleyer this year. This is the first time, so it was tricky and he did it very well.

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"But I started returning well and had some good passing shots. You know, that's what grass court tennis is like. Quick reactions, quick reflexes."

Murray clinched the title last year to become the first British winner since 1938 and he did so without losing a set.

He came close to blotting that copybook in the first-set tie-break, despite having led 4-1. Navarro fought back and earned set point with a superb low volley at 5-4, but the British No 1 levelled with a vicious cross-court forehand.

Murray finally ended the opening set with a 10-8 success thanks to a cross-court double-handed backhand on the world No 108's serve. "I played a sort of sharp slice and he came forward," added Murray. "It was just kind of instant. He was covering the line and I got a good hit on it.

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"I saw a lot of the players slipping the first couple of days in the matches I was watching. I thought I moved pretty well. It didn't feel too slippery to me.

"I hit the ball well from back of the court once I got into the rallies."

Murray immediately seized the initiative in the first game of the second set, breaking Navarro's serve for the first time when the Spaniard overhit a volley at the net.

With confidence surging, Murray closed out his first service game for a 2-0 lead.

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Murray eventually wrapped up the win in the ninth game when he was presented with two match points, converting at the second attempt with a quality forehand service return.

Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak was the biggest winner on a rain-affected second day of the AEGON Classic in Birmingham as she progressed to the second round at the expense of Alicia Molik.

Wozniak, beaten by Elena Dementieva in the second round of the French Open last week, had too much for the Australian and ran away with a 7-5 6-1 victory in just over an hour.

Sixteenth seed Vania King of the USA also progressed with a surprisingly easy 6-4 6-0 win over Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens, while Ayumi Morita of Japan beat Maria Elena Camerin of Italy 6-2 3-6 6-2.

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The weather meant neither of the home players scheduled to be in action, Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha, could get on court for their matches against Pauline Parmentier and Kaia Kanepi respectively.

When play was suspended for the day, American Jill Craybas had taken the first set against Sophie Ferguson of Australia while Kristina Barrois and Karolina Sprem were in the very early stages of their encounter.

Lawn Tennis Association chief executive Roger Draper has defended the decision to hand Jamie Baker a wildcard entry into this year's Wimbledon.

Baker is ranked 254th in the world and crashed to a straight sets defeat to Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in the first round of the AEGON Championships at Queen's Club on Monday.

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The decision to overlook serial failure Alex Bogdanovic for one of the eight entries came as little surprise but the inclusion of 23-year-old Baker shocked many considering that he is outside the world's top 250, the normal cut-off point for wildcard entries into the tournament,

Baker's low ranking, and the fact that he has been hampered by a blood disorder and an ankle ligament injury over the past two years, means he is likely to struggle against the world's top players at Wimbledon, but Draper is adamant that the Scot deserves his chance.

"That was a decision by the order of play committee and the All England Club but I support it," Draper said yesterday.

"They have good people on those committees so I'm sure they will have weighed up all of the options.

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"Jamie Baker has been injured for a big part of the year and whilst he didn't make the 250 cut-off he wasn't far off. He is absolutely committed and I think he does deserve his wildcard."

The decision to snub British No 2 Bogdanovic was a clear wake-up call to the 26-year-old who has failed to make it to the second round of the tournament despite being handed a wildcard for the past eight years.

Draper said: "It's absolutely not the end of the road for him. Alex has huge talent and is playing well at the moment."

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