BARCELONA — Richard Gasquet's return to court from appendix surgery was short-lived at the Barcelona Open on Tuesday as the Frenchman lost 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to Japan's Yuichi Sugita.
The world No. 91 lost in qualifying and was only handed a place in the main draw after compatriot Kei Nishikori's late withdrawal with a wrist injury. But despite blowing three match points when serving for the match at 6-5 in the third set, Sugita regained his composure to edge a final set tie-break to make the third round.
Dominic Thiem is safely into the last 16 as the third highest seed left in the draw brushed aside Britain's Kyle Edmund 6-1, 6-4.
Australia's Bernard Tomic will be Andy Murray's opponent when the world No. 1 gets his tournament under way on Wednesday after seeing off big-serving German Dustin Brown 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Another German had a better day though as 20-year-old eighth seed Alexander Zverev saw off clay court specialist Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-4.
Rafael Nadal also begins his quest for a 10th title in Barcelona on Wednesday against Renzo Olivo or Rogerio Dutra Silva.
Britain's Dan Evans and Edmund made it through to the second round on Monday. Evans recovered from a set down to defeat Brazilian qualifier Thiago Monteiro 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, and will play Mischa Zverev, the German 14th seed who knocked Andy Murray out of the Australian Open in January, in the second round.
Edmund sailed through in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 against world No. 70 Jeremy Chardy. Local favorite Tommy Robredo lost 6-4, 6-3 to Sugita. However, there was better news for the home crowd as Nicolas Almagro beat Canada's Steven Diez 6-3, 6-4.
World No. 1 Murray returns to the Barcelona clay courts that launched his career this week as he puts in some overtime ahead of the French Open.
Murray, who played and lost his first professional match as a 17-year-old at the tournament in 2005, against Jan Hernych, took a late entry into the Barcelona Open after an early defeat to Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas in Monte Carlo last week.
While giving him some crucial match time on a surface he has grown to love, it also offers the 29-year-old the chance to consolidate his position at the top of the ATP rankings.
Murray accumulated a barrel-load of ranking points during last season's claycourt swing, winning the Rome Masters and reaching the French Open final, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
With those points to defend and the effects of an elbow injury still lingering, Murray knows the pressure is on to keep the number one ranking he secured in November.
"I hope to stay there for a long time, but it's hard," Murray, who spent two years at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona as a junior, told the ATP's website.
"It took me 12 years to get there, and the physical and mental effort it took to do it last year was enormous. It's not easy to stay there, but I hope I can.
"It's always hard to maintain your ranking at the top of the game. A lot of the young ones are starting to play better and better, so it's going to be tough."
Surprisingly, Murray's first ATP title on the red dirt did not arrive until 2015 in Munich. He quickly followed that by beating king of clay Rafael Nadal in the Madrid final.
Last year was even better, and he won 18 of his 21 matches during the European claycourt season. The transition from the hardcourts to the clay can still be tricky though, even for a player now so at home on the surface.
"The best way to adapt to new surfaces playing naturally against the best players in the world," he said.
Stepping back out on the Barcelona clay for the first time since 2012 is also something of a trip down memory lane for Murray. "I have great memories, not only from training and living here, but also because I played my first professional match on one of these courts and I remember it well," he said.
"The last time I came here I hadn't won a claycourt tournament, nor been in big finals, nor beaten some of the best players on this surface. But in the past few years I've had great wins against Rafa (Nadal) and Novak (Djokovic)."
Muguruza set to play at Birmingham event
Former Wimbledon runner-up Garbine Muguruza will prepare for this year's Championships on the Birmingham grass courts after confirming she has entered June's Aegon Classic on Tuesday.
The Spanish player, beaten by Serena Williams in the 2015 Wimbledon final, is one of four current top-10 players on the entry list for the June 17-25 event.
Britain's Johanna Konta, defending Birmingham champion Madison Keys and former French Open runner-up Simona Halep will also be involved at the Edgbaston Priory Club.
The Aegon Classic is one of two WTA Premier level grasscourt tournaments leading up to Wimbledon, with the Eastbourne championships taking place the week after. — Agencies
