INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Andy Murray outlasted qualifier Taro Daniel 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open for his 700th career victory.
Murray, who received a wild card into the desert tournament, twice came from behind in the nearly two-hour match. He overcame a 1-3 deficit in the third set, winning five of the final six games.
“I managed to start to improve as each set went on,” Murray said according to AP, “and finished off well in the end.”
Murray broke Daniel to tie the set 3-all. The 34-year-old Scottish star led 40-love in the last game before closing it out on his third match point.
“I’m old now so these 11 a.m. starts, it takes me a bit of time to get going,” Murray said after the match.
It was their third meeting this year. Ranked 106th, Daniel won at the Australian Open. Murray, who is 88th in the world, won in Doha last month.
Murray has never won at Indian Wells. His best finish came in 2009, when he lost to Rafael Nadel in the final. He was a semifinalist in 2007 and 2015, losing to Novak Djokovic both times.
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