Murray beats Copil at Madrid Open - radio and text

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So the Andy Murray charge towards the French Open, Wimbledon and beyond gets another small nudge forward. There will be bigger days though and for sure there will be bigger challenges.

Perhaps most impressive there was how he just gritted things out. Far from sensational, he never looked in danger and didn't have to face a single break point.

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He signs the camera lense as Marius Copil leaves the court to applause. He's had a good few days but Andy Murray goes through. 

Nine unforced errors for Murray on the day. He can be well pleased with his day's work. He took one hour and 23 minutes to progress.

Andy Murray then, the floor is yours. 

A forehand winner down the line gives him control at 30-0, the masses in Madrid sit quietly as they await the final parts of the play.

Marius Copil has brought bits and pieces today, he's made it mildly intersting and a flashing backhand from him reminds us he's still here, that's 30-15.

But Murray brings up match point and takes it ruthlessly. He comes to the net, pats his beaten opponent on the tummy and that my friends is that.

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Marius Copil will serve then to prolong the pain here. Still, his outfit is superb and he even wore it against Roberto Bautista Agut in round two. 

He reaches 40-15 but then gets a slice of misfortune as a Murray backhand crashes into the tape before dropping over. 

Murray looks focused on getting this done in the next game as a long backhand had all the hallmarks of a man just waiting to get this game out of the way.

Here we go then...

"Murray could have himself a fairly straightforward passage into the third round now if he keeps his concentration."

WTA reporter Counrtney Nguyen adds: "Murray has locked it down, just six unforced errors so far."

Listen to live commentary, just click 'live coverage'.

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"Murray hitting a few high, looping balls. Almost the boxing equivalent of the boxing jabs," says WTA reporter Courtney Nguyen.

The tactic helps the world number one to deuce on the Marius Copil serve.

We see the rally of the match, with Murray looking done on more than one occasion. He hustled to just lob a high ball back into the court whilst on the run and later hooked a ball back when stranded. It pays off as Copil eventually breaks and hits the net. 

Break point it is and Murray pounces again. Turn out the lights, this one is surely over.

You get the sense Copil can't do much more to hurt Murray. Murray seems to be spotting some patterns and movements which can now help him.

Murray is looking mildly threatening in the last few minutes. Like a runner timing his run and getting ready to pounce.

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That last Marius Copil smash hit four-time Grand Slam winner Manuel Santana in the head.

The 78-year-old, the tournament director in Madrid, sees the funny side and he's all good.

Santana won the French twice, the US Open and Wimbledon between 1961 and 1966.

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This could be a key moment as Marius Copil surrenders a 40-0 lead on his serve to fall to deuce. The man in yellow shows some guts though and holds on. He gets Murray on the run which leads to an easy smash put away.

Elsewhere out on these courts Dominic Thiem - who beat Murray in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open less than two weeks ago - took his first set 6-3 against Jared Donaldson.

Pierre-Hugues Herbert won a first-set tie break against Lucas Pouille and it's 4-4 in the second.

Croatian's Bora Coric is awaiting the winner of that match in round two. The winner of that encounter will then play the winner of Murray-Copil in round three.

Marius Copil holds easily and takes the first point of Andy Murray's second service game in this set. The third ace of the match for Murray gets him back into things and there's an air of inevitability about the vibe around this court now. Those in attendance seem to be just waiting for Muzza to twist the knife a bit.

At 30-30 he's on his second serve - touch of pressure - but Copil makes life easy with a wayward return. They trade powerful blows and Murray dollies one back a bit short, Copil will punish this... no. Into the net. Possibly the easiest shot of the rally yet it's the one that gets away.

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There's nothing I like more than a drop shot followed by an easy pass into an area of the court a player has forced his rival to vacate.

That's the picture here as Murray drops one from deep beautifully and then just nudges the ball back over the net. It's the highlight of this service hold. 

The court is now covered in shade and Murray will hope the way he pinched that first set will have sucked the air out of Marius Copil, who prepares to serve.

We're right in the middle of the clay-court season but in south-west London, thoughts are already on the grass... app users may need to select the link to view the video below...

"I think 'solid' is the word for that set."

Now would be a good time to find a first break of the match and like many top players, Andy Murray senses blood. He jostles for position at 15-15 and floats a forehand into the corner, prompting Copil to send a ball long.

Pressure on the underdog and he feels it, a brilliant volley from deep in the court from Murray finds the target, passing Copil. Break point, set point and with a big fist pump Murray gets it done.

A Copil return kicks up off the net, allowing Murray to get over a ball which bounces kindly and fizz it at his opponent who can only dribble it back into the net.

Andy Murray had smiles two days back. As I've just said, definitely a parking ticket or something... app users may need to select the link to view the post below...

Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique is in the stands taking this in as Andy Murray holds to 15. Still, not a smile to be seen from the world number one. I think someone handed him a parking ticket before he came out as he seems positively angry with life right now.

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"Copil's looking a million dollars, having a great day out," says BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller on 5 live sports extra.

We see the finest point of the day as Andy Murray races to the net to meet a drop shot, makes it and then has to adjust as the ball comes back his way quickly. He defends well and then guides a gorgeous forehand up the line, passing Marius Copil.

Copil stands 6ft 4in and couldn't get near it. We reach 40-30 to Copil and he crushes a serve to take this scrap to 4-4.