Murray comes through Bublik test

Defending champion Andy Murray may have come in to Wimbledon with lingering questions about his form and fitness, but he provided the answers with a straight sets win over Alexander Bublik on Centre Court. Murray needed one hour 43 minutes to down the world No.135 6-1 6-4 6-2 and book a second round clash with Dustin Brown.

The world No.1 has been struggling with a hip injury since his run to the semifinals of last month’s French Open. A first round exit at Queen’s – his earliest at the tournament – was followed by a withdrawal from an exhibition event in the led-up to The Championships.

RELATED: Injury cuts short Kyrgios’s Wimbledon campaign

But while Murray was clearly in a little discomfort at the start of the match, he worked his way past one of the rising stars of the ATP Tour.

Opening proceedings on Centre Court, Murray bolted out of the blocks and took the opening set in little over 30 minutes.

But Bublik soon started to settle, even winning over some of the partisan Centre Court crowd.

Murray broke early in the second, but with Bublik finding his range the world No.1 was forced to move up a gear. He did so, fending off multiple break points before securing the second set.

RELATED: Wimbledon #SmashTalk – who is on upset alert?

It was a similar story in the third, with Murray breaking early. A brief rain delay did little to disrupt either player, with the pair exchanging some exquisite points. But it was Murray who was in the ascendancy, and he eventually secured a morale-boosting three sets win.

“I played pretty good. Moved quite well,” Murray said after the win. “I mean, it’s not the easiest match to play because of the way he plays.

“But I hit the ball well. I don’t feel like I made too many unforced errors. I hit the ball pretty clean.”