Andy Murray played at a high level for an extended period against one of the best players in the world, but he was outperformed in the decisive moments by Andrey Rublev, the fifth seed, who saved four set points before defeating Murray 7-6 (3), 6-1 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open.
Indian Wells has often been Murray’s bogey tournament, with the slow, high-bouncing courts and gusty wind often leaving him vulnerable to early exits even at the peak of his career, but he showed that he was striking the ball well by reaching the second round with a clinical performance over David Goffin. A much more difficult task awaited in Rublev.
