Andy Murray started strongly at the ATP Marseille Open on Tuesday with a win over Jesse Huta Galung of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.

 

He looked rusty early on against Galung as both players struggled on serve, but looked firmly in control later.

 

Murray will next play the winner of the tie between France's Sebastien Grosjean and Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland.

 

The 20-year-old Scot's last outing was a four sets loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the first round of the Australian Open on January 14.

 

That defeat was put into some perspective by Tsonga's subsequent charge into his first Grand Slam final in Melbourne where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

 

Murray did not play in Britain's Davis Cup tie away to Argentina last week citing an injury, but he was widely criticized.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2008)