SPORTS> Tennis
Murray shrugs off slow start to reach quarter finals
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-13 16:51

ROTTERDAM -- World number four Andy Murray recovered from a slow start to beat Italian baseliner Andreas Seppi 7-6 7-5 in the second round of the World Indoor Tournament Thursday.


Andy Murray from Britain hits a backhand during his tennis match against Andreas Seppi from Italy at the World Indoor Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam February 12, 2009. [Agencies]

"It was a difficult start, with too many mistakes and double faults, but it improved in the second set," the Briton told reporters.

Second seed Murray, who cruised past Ivan Ljubicic in the opening round, varied his game more against Seppi in a match containing several long rallies.

"It was completely different from the first round but the long rallies on a fast court like this gave me back my rhythm," said the Scot.

Murray next meets 'lucky loser' Marc Gicquel, who came into the tournament after the withdrawal of Robin Soderling.

Gicquel reached the last eight by defeating fellow Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4 6-3.

Croat Mario Ancic avenged his recent third-round defeat at the Australian Open by eliminating fourth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4 3-6 6-3, setting up a quarter-final with 2007 winner Mikhail Youzhny of Russia.

Michael Llodra, the 2008 champion, was beaten 6-4 6-4 by fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils.

Top seed Rafael Nadal plays 17-year-old Grigor Dimitrov later Thursday and Dmitry Tursunov takes on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.