THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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VALENCIA, Spain - Andy Murray defeated wild card Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the Valencia Open on Tuesday.

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Alberto Saiz

Andy Murray, of Britain, returns the ball to Daniel Gimeno of Spain in their match, during the ATP 500 World Tour Valencia Open tennis tournament at the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009.

The fourth-ranked Murray, who had not played since the U.S. Open due to a left wrist injury, won 22 of 26 first-serve points and broke Gimeno-Traver five times.

The top-seeded Scot next plays Leonardo Mayer, who defeated Igor Andreev 6-3, 6-3.

Defending champion David Ferrer broke Nicolas Almagro six times on the hard court in a 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-2 win. Almagro twice won the tournament in Valencia when it was played on clay.

Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils also advanced. The fifth-seeded Simon beat Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 6-2, and sixth-seeded Monfils defeated Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-2.

Pablo Cuevas rallied from 5-2 down in the second set to beat 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3, and Juan Monaco beat Martin Vassallo Arguello 6-3, 6-2.