Montanes awaits Murray

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:22

Montanes, ranked 35 in the world, swept Serra aside 6-3 6-0 in just 55 minutes to set up the encounter with Murray, who recieved a bye to the next round as the tournament’s fourth-seed.

It will be the Scot’s first match since his withdrawal from the Dubai Championship with the virus which kept him out of Great Britain’s Davis Cup defeat to the Ukraine at the weekend.

Murray, who beat Montanes in straight sets on his way to the Qatar Open title in January, practised in Indian Wells on Thursday but is yet to confirm that he has recovered sufficiently to take part in the match.

Elsewhere in Thursday’s opening session, former world number one Lleyton Hewitt won his first round tie against Jan Hernych.

The Australian, currently ranked 77, made heavy weather of the opening set but eventually overcame his Czech opponent 7-3 in a tie-break before taking the second 6-3. The two-time former champion will now meet the 17th seed Fernando Gonzalez in round two.

Roger Federer, who won the Indian Wells title three years in a row between 2004 and 2006, will take on Marc Gicquel in after the Frenchman defeated Italy’s Simone Bolelli.

Gicquel triumphed 7-5 6-3 to set up the encounter with Federer, who has announced that he is to become a father for the first time.

France’s Michael Llodra will play his compatriot and Davis Cup team-mate Richard Gasquet in round two after coming through 6-4 6-3 against Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, a player ranked more than 50 places higher than him.

Finalist in 2006 James Blake faces Jarko Nieminen after the Finn defeated Nicolas Devilder in two sets while world number five Nikolay Davydenko takes on Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat Julien Benneteau 6-3 6-2.

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