Murray finding his rhythm

Andy Murray breezed through his first match for six weeks as he began his Valencia Open campaign.

The world number four beat Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3 6-1, giving an opponent who was handed a wild card into the tournament no hope of an upset.

Now Murray has a day in which to prepare for his second-round clash with Argentinian Leonardo Mayer, who he has never previously played.

Reflecting on his opening win, Murray said: “At first I struggled a bit to get into the match because I had been so long without playing, but gradually I felt more comfortable. My goal is to get more rhythm and confidence back in my game.”

Murray and next opponent Mayer were born on the same day – May 15, 1987 – but they are worlds apart in terms of their careers. Murray has won 13 tour titles, including five so far this year, and has already made a fortune in playing earnings during his career, while world number 64 Mayer has only just started to make an impact at the highest level.

Yesterday saw the announcement that Murray has signed a new kit deal with adidas, which will take effect from the start of 2010.