Former world primary Andy Murray eased into the third spherical at Indian Wells along with his first straight-sets victory this yr.
The Scot beat Moldova’s Radu Albot, who was making an attempt to assert his a centesimal tour-level win, 6-4 6-3 in a single hour and 42 minutes.
Murray had simply 18 unforced errors to 35 for Albot, and by no means confronted a break level on his serve whereas firing six aces.
Having received in straight units for the primary time since October, Murray tweeted: “I’d forgotten what that felt like. Bosh.”
The win set the Briton as much as tackle compatriot Jack Draper after the 21-year-old beat twenty fourth seed Dan Evans 6-4 6-2.
Draper has misplaced simply eight video games by his first two matches of his Indian Wells debut.
Murray stated: “He obviously plays really well. He’s not actually competed that much on the tour but, when he has done, he’s always performed really well. I think he’s going to be a top, top player for a long time, providing he stays healthy. It will be a good match.”
There was extra glory for Britain within the ladies’s draw with Emma Raducanu – the 2021 US Open champion – beating twentieth seed Magda Linette 7-6 (3) 6-2.
Linette, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, is the highest-ranked participant Raducanu has overwhelmed since her run to the title in New York and she or he performed sharp, aggressive tennis after falling 1-4 behind within the opening set.
The 20-year-old continues to be dogged by bodily issues and arrived in California fighting wrist ache and the after results of a bout of tonsillitis.
Raducanu sought remedy for her proper wrist in the course of the first set, and stated afterwards: “It’s manageable. I’m still able to win matches at this level. I’m feeling better than I was the other day. I would say I wasn’t at 100 per cent, but better.
“I’m enjoying competing again. I think this feeling of competition definitely beats being sick or injured or out. So I’m really just cherishing every time I get to step out on the match court.”
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek routed Claire Liu in 65 minutes to win her opening match on Saturday.
Swiatek, the defending champion who took over the primary rating practically a yr in the past, received 6-0 6-1.
Carlos Alcaraz, the second-ranked males’s participant, defeated qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3 6-3, Taylor Fritz, the defending males’s champion, rallied previous Ben Shelton 4-6 6-4 6-3, whereas Jannik Sinner defeated Richard Gasquet 6-3 7-6 (2).
