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Murray rediscovers touch in Rotterdam

  • Story Highlights
  • Andy Murray has 6-3 6-2 win over Ivan Ljubicic in Rotterdam Open first round
  • Second-seeded Briton Murray now faces Italian Andreas Seppi in the last 16
  • Rafael Nadal opens his challenge Wednesday against Italy's Simone Bolelli
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(CNN) -- Andy Murray left his Australian Open disappointment behind as he moved into the second round of the Rotterdam Open with a 6-3 6-2 win over Ivan Ljubicic on Tuesday.

Murray agonizes over a missed point on his way into the second round of the Rotterdam Open.

Murray agonizes over a missed point on his way into the second round of the Rotterdam Open.

The British number one was playing his first competitive match since losing to Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round in Melbourne.

Second-seeded Murray now faces Andreas Seppi in the last 16 having lost to the Italian in their only previous meeting in 2006.

Murray always looked comfortable against Croat Ljubicic who made a promising start, but then struggled with his serve after a year of back problems.

"I lost against Ivan two times out of three so I was expecting a difficult match," Murray told PA Sport. "He normally serves very, very well but tonight I didn't think he served his best, which made it a bit easier for me.

"There weren't too many rallies, there were a lot of mistakes but it was very tough to see out here. I'm happy to come through reasonably quickly."

Murray secured the only break of the opening set in the eighth game and moved to the brink of victory with an eight-game winning run.

A lapse allowed Ljubicic to get on the board with a break when Murray was serving for the match. But it was only a temporary reprieve as the Scot wrapped things up in his next service game.

Bulgaria junior Grigor Dimitrov lined up a likely meeting with world number one Rafael Nadal after the 17-year-old shocked Czech Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-3 6-4.

Australian Open champion Nadal opens his challenge on Wednesday against Italy's Simone Bolelli.

The 487th-ranked wild card entry Dimotrov, who holds the Wimbledon and US Open junior crowns, is being guided by new coach Peter Lundgren.

Nadal aims to make an impact having lost to Seppi in the second round of the Dutch event last year.

Regarding his match against Seppi, Murray said: "I lost against him the only time I played him. But if I play like I did today I have a good chance."

Nikolay Davydenko is also in the field after recovering from the heel problem which forced him to miss the Australian Open.

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