 Murray, Ferrer win Valencia openers
2009-11-03 17:50:00
Valencia, Spain (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Andy Murray and reigning champion David Ferrer were among Tuesday's opening-round winners at the $2.98 million Valencia Open. The former U.S. Open runner-up Murray mauled Spanish wild card Daniel Gimeno- Traver 6-3, 6-1 on the indoor hardcourts here. The Scotsman moved on in one hour, breaking Gimeno-Traver's serve five times in eight tries.
The world No. 4 Murray, who had been nursing a left wrist injury, is playing his first tennis since dropping a fourth-round match at the U.S. Open in September.
Up next for Murray will be Argentine Leonardo Mayer.
In a rematch of last year's Valencia finale, an eighth-seeded Ferrer held off fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2. When Ferrer topped Almagro in last year's title match, it prevented the two-time champion Almagro from winning a third straight Valencia championship.
Fifth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon leveled Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 6-2, while sixth-seeded Gael Monfils of France whipped Spain's Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-2 and seventh-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo snuck past Belgian qualifier Christophe Rochus 6-0, 5-7, 6-3.
Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas disappointed the home crowd by overcoming Spanish hero Juan Carlos Ferrero 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. The 1999 and 2003 Valencia champion Ferrero is a former world No. 1 and former French Open champ.
Additional wins came for Argentines Juan Monaco and Mayer.
The 2009 Valencia winner will take home $475,000.
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