Murray through to last 32

Andy Murray
12 April 2012

Andy Murray saw off the plucky challenge of Edouard Roger-Vasselin to move into the third round of the Australian Open.

Having looked totally overwhelmed by the occasion early on, Frenchman Roger-Vasselin gradually warmed to the task and gave Murray a few problems before the world number four prevailed 6-1 6-4 6-4 on his favoured Hisense Arena.

The win maintained Murray's remarkable domination of French players - since losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Melbourne four years ago, he has now won 37 of 38 matches against competitors from across the channel.

The opening set was particularly one sided with the world number 101 looking like a rabbit trapped in the headlights. Murray took full advantage and duly closed out the set in just 23 minutes.

The Scot wasted four opportunities to claim a break in the first game of the second - three of them due to backhand errors - as Roger-Vasselin held on to his serve for just the second time in the match. But after holding in rapid time, Murray did find a way through, breaking to 15 thanks to a winning cross-court forehand to move 2-1 up.

Roger-Vasselin, whose father Christophe reached the French Open semi-finals in 1983, was finally beginning to hold his own and he remained in touch to make Murray serve for the set at 5-4.

And he made hard work of it, being pegged back to 30-30 before a poor backhand from his opponent and an unreturnable Murray serve handed the fourth seed a two-set lead.

The marked improvement in Roger-Vasselin's game continued into the third set and after holding, the Frenchman set up his first break point which Murray saved with a booming ace out wide. Murray's fifth ace of the game dragged him level at 1-1 but the 28-year-old from Gennevilliers kept his nose in front with some more enterprising play.

It remained on serve until the seventh game of the set when, at 30-40, Murray lashed a first serve from Roger-Vasselin back up the line to claim the break.

There was to be no let-up from Murray and he kept his cool to finish the job and move through to the last 32, where he will get the opportunity to extend his record against French players. The Scot will face Michael Llodra in the next round while Gael Monfils and Tsonga are his scheduled opponents in round four and the quarter-finals respectively.

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