Murray shuts out noise, Granollers to reach third round

By Simon Cambers

NEW YORK ( Reuters) - Andy Murray shut out the New York noise and the game of Marcel Granollers of Spain with a 6-4 6-1 6-4 win on Thursday to reach the third round of the U.S. Open.

The Wimbledon and Olympic champion ground down the world number 45 in a match involving numerous lung-busting rallies and played under a cacophony of sound with the $150 million roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium court closed.

At times, the players could barely hear the ball off their strings and the rain hammering on the roof was almost deafening but second seed Murray kept calm to clinch a convincing victory.

"At first we didn’t know if there was just more people come in at the change of ends, but then we quickly realised it was the rain," Murray said.

"It was tough, you couldn't really hear the ball which makes it tricky. But we're lucky to play under the roof; otherwise there wouldn’t be any tennis so it’s good for everyone.”

Murray led 5-2 in the first set only for Granollers to hit back but the Scot won a game lasting more than 10 minutes to break and clinch it on his seventh set point.

After breaking for 3-1 in the second set, Murray pulled away to double his lead and he broke in the ninth game of the third to earn victory.

Murray, the champion in 2012 and chasing a fourth grand sla m title, will now play either 30th seed Gilles Simon or unseeded Italian Paolo Lorenzi.

(Editing by Frank Pingue)