Tennis

Murray advances in Barcelona after injured Tomic withdraws

Published Apr. 26, 2017 11:09 a.m. ET

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Top-seeded Andy Murray advanced to the third round at the Barcelona Open after Bernard Tomic withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday.

Tomic, who needed three sets to defeat Dustin Brown in the first round on Tuesday, said he would not be able to face Murray because of a lower back injury.

The top-ranked Murray was originally going to skip the Barcelona Open but decided to play after being eliminated in the third round at the Monte Carlo Masters, when he blew a 4-0 lead in the deciding set to Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Murray is trying to regain his form going into the French Open following a right elbow injury that kept him out of the Miami Open and the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

He will play 40th-ranked Feliciano Lopez of Spain, who defeated Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-2.

It was the final career match for Montanes, who had announced last week that the Barcelona Open would be his last tournament after nearly 20 years on tour.

The 36-year-old Barcelona resident won six ATP titles and was ranked a career-high 22nd in 2010. His first-round victory over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez on Monday was the 255th of his career.

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