Melbourne – Three-time runner-up Andy Murray swept into the second round of the Australian Open with an easy straight sets win over Japan's Go Soeda on Tuesday.
The British fourth seed won 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in one hour 27 minutes as he works his way to full match fitness after back surgery.
Murray said his back felt fully recovered, but added that the long lay-off meant the rest of his body was not yet at the level he would like.
The Scot had surgery in September, missing the rest of last season, and his preparations for Melbourne, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in last year's final, have not been good.
The world number four crashed out in the second round of the Qatar Open to German Florian Mayer, the world number 38, and then went down to veteran Australian Lleyton Hewitt in an exhibition match last Friday.
Last year Murray became the first British man to lift the Wimbledon trophy since Fred Perry in 1936.
He was never in any trouble against the 112th-ranked Soeda, breaking the Japanese service seven times and not having a break point against his own serve.
The Scot hit 32 winners and only 13 unforced errors to have Soeda under pressure on Hisense Arena, rattling through the first two sets in just 49 minutes.
He has a qualifier next up, either Frenchman Vincent Millot or American Wayne Odesnik. – Sapa-AFP