Murray, who entered the event with a wild card, send the first seed home after coming back from a set down. The Brit played a complete match from start to finish with his level not falling off in either of the three sets. He did lose the opening set but it was a very tight one and Murray explained what went wrong:
“I had some chances early in the first set and didn’t take them, then he had his break point at the end of the first set and hit a really good return. He then had a really good hold at 5-4."
Humbert could not really on his powerful serve at all in the match which allowed Murray many opportunities. While he failed to use that in the opening set he did a much better job at it in the 2nd and third sets:
He played a little bit better and in the second and third sets, it was the other way around. He didn’t play well when he had his
opportunities and I took mine.
“I’ve found it tough in the past few years that I don’t know some players that well and it’s difficult to play against them and win.
Today, I felt I had a good game plan and executed it pretty well.”
Murray will face another tricky opponent in the 2nd round in Vasek Pospisil. He Canadian is a very strong indoor player thanks to his great serve so Murray will need to be even sharper than against Humbert whose serve largely abandoned him.