Murray Pulls Through Against Russell; Blake Out

© Getty ImagesAndy Murray reached the Indian Wells final last year.

World No. 4 Andy Murray overcame a determined effort from Michael Russell at the BNP Paribas Open, defeating the American 6-3, 7-5 on Tuesday afternoon to reach the fourth round at the year’s first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tennis tournament.

Murray, a runner-up last year in Indian Wells, won five straight games to establish a 3-0 lead in the second set. After working hard to hold his service games throughout the set, Murray was finally broken as he served for the match at 5-3 with Russell showing tremendous hustle in two crowd-pleasing rallies.

“I don't think I lost my concentration necessarily on the game when I got broken, but he had break point,” said Murray. “He had a great backhand when I got on with the dropshot lob, ran back, and it was a really good move. I hit another really tough shot. I would have liked to have won, closed it out there 3 and 3, but I did well to stay composed at the end.”

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Russell could not earn a decisive set, however, as Murray came through with a match-clinching break as the American put a return into the net.

“It was a tough match, a lot of long rallies,” said Murray. “The thing that was good about that match is a lot of long, tough games. My serve, when I was down, I played well. I saved a lot of break points and played well on a lot of 30-all points.”

The 22-year-old Scot, who opened the 2010 season with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open, will next face Nicolas Almagro after the Spaniard knocked out American James Blake 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Stadium 2. Almagro fired 19 aces and broke the 2006 finalist twice to secure the win in one hour and 53 minutes.

“Nico served great,” said Blake. “That was probably the biggest concern for me. The few times I had break opportunities, the few times I got it to deuce and had my chances, that puts a lot of pressure on you to capitalize on those. Today I didn't feel like I returned my best, and I was putting a little more pressure on my serve.”

Blake, who entered the tournament ranked outside the Top 50, had earned in his place in the third round courtesty of an upset win over 13th-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer - snapping his opponent’s winning streak at seven matches as he conceded just five games.

One service break proved enough for Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling to clinch a 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. The sixth-seeded Swede fired 14 aces and dropped just three points on serve.

The 25 year old has now won 10 of his past 11 matches, beginning with his title-winning run in February at the ATP World Tour 500 tennis tournament in Rotterdam.

Soderling is through to the fourth round for the first time in six event appearances, and will take a 2-0 head-to-head record into his next match against Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The ninth seed served 17 aces in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Spaniard Albert Montanes.

“I feel good. I win, and this is the important thing,” said Tsonga, who also reached the Indian Wells fourth round on his event debut in 2008. “Today it was tough. Albert played a good first set. I was not really good in this first set, but then I change a bit my game and my mind and I played better.”