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Murray warms up for French Open with win

Andy Murray showed some fighting spirit to beat Mardy Fish © Getty Images

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Andy Murray has expressed delight after limbering up for the French Open with a 7-6 6-7 11-9 victory over Mardy Fish in the Guinot Mary Cohr Masters.

The exhibition event is the traditional curtain raiser to the French Open and often attracts some big names. This year is no different, with Roger Federer in the field, and Murray was handed a clash with Fish.

The Brit has had a tough time of things since the Australian Open and has been accused by Virginia Wade of "treading water". Clay is not his favourite surface so the ingredients were there for Murray to toil at the Paris Golf and Country Club, but he battled hard to secure a win.

The first set went to a tie-break which Murray edged through, but he was not able to shake off the dogged Fish who proved strong behind his own serve.

Murray did not look entirely comfortable and served up double faults and a series of mishits, but his class won through despite Fish forcing a deciding long game.

The long game saw the best tennis of the match, with both players hitting cheeky drop shots and powerful drives and it was pleasing to see Murray secure the match with a clean winner off the Fish serve.

"We will play best of five at the French so to spend over two hours on court today is perfect," Murray said.

Looking ahead to Roland Garros next week, Murray said: "I got to the quarter-finals which was my best run. It is a tough tournament for me, but last year I played well and it is pretty fast so it helps me. I would like to get into the second week and maybe go further than last year if I play well."

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