Federer opens with win as Murray crashes out

Roger Federer preserved dignity among the elite at the Miami Masters, earning a comfortable opening victory after world number three Andy Murray crashed out to unheralded Mardy Fish.

Roger Federer preserved dignity among the elite at the Miami Masters on Saturday, earning a comfortable opening victory after world number three Andy Murray crashed out to unheralded Mardy Fish.

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World number one and top seed Federer quietly dominated Nicolas Lapentti, vanquishing the Ecuadoran 6-3, 6-3 in 66 minutes. But it was another story for Murray, who fell 6-4, 6-4 to the 101st-ranked Fish.

Federer lined up a third-round clash with Frenchman Florent Serra, a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 winner over Spain’s Albert Montanes. Federer is beginning a bid for a third Miami title after winning here in 2005 and 2006.

Swedish fifth seed Robin Soderling, the French Open runner-up, progressed to the third round with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-0 win over Australian Peter Luczak.

Meanwhile, Three-time champion Venus Williams improved her own record at the Miami event while increasing the misery for beaten opponent Roberta Vinci with a 6-1, 6-4 victory. The American, who lifted the title at Crandon Park in 1998, 1999 and 2001, claimed her 12th consecutive match win after back-to-back titles in Dubai and Acapulco this season. But life was dismal for Italian Vinci, the world number 55, who lost for the 12th time in a row to a top five player. The third seeded Williams fired six aces in her 70-minute win, but also produced seven double-faults and saved six of the seven break points she faced. Williams will face either 16th-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova or Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round.