Holder Andy Murray eased into the grass court season on a rainy Tuesday with the weather delaying the start of the Briton’s 7-6 (10-8), 6-3 second round defeat of Ivan Navarro at Queen’s club.
The Scot third seed was playing for the first time since losing in the French Open fourth round.
Murray struck six aces against eight for the serve-and-volley Spaniard to move ahead at the home event, lifting his to 17-8 on the season while still looking for his first trophy of 2010 after coming in a year ago with three in his possession.
“It was good, tough first match,” said Murray. “He served very, very well in the first set. I didn’t return particularly well.
“It’s not what you expect from a Spaniard coming forward on every point. It was good.
“I thought I moved pretty well, the court didn’t feel too slippery to me. I hit the ball well from back in the court once I got into the rallies.”
Andy Roddick roared out of the blocks over Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-1 in less than an hour.
Drizzle and a steady rain earlier played havoc with a full schedule at the Wimbledon tune-up event.
Sixth-seed Gael Monfils twice took treatment on his troublesome left knee, with the Frenchman falling in a rain-hit second round start to German Rainer Schuettler 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-2.
Former Wimbledon semifinalist Schuettler, at 34 a decade older than his opponent, missed a chance to get home and dry early as he was broken while serving for the victory.
“I twisted my knee in the first serve of the game,” said Monfils of his injury. “I think the taping moved a bit and it was a bit loose. I had the trainer try to stretch a bit my knee, because it was sore.
“I’m frustrated that I’m not moving well on the grass, I don’t yet feel every step.” French 11th-seed Richard Gasquet won his second match in as many days to advance into the third round over American Rajeev Ram 6-3, 7-5.
With the top eight seeds benefiting from first round byes, play was wrapping up in the first round amid the interruptions.
Spain’s Marcel Granollers upset Serb tenth-seed Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 while while Australian teenager Bernard Tomic upset Italian 15th-seed Andreas Seppi 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
