Tennis:Andy Murray recovered from a dreadful start to beat veteran Rainer Schuettler 1-6 6-0 6-1 and progress to the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open in Doha.
After starting the season in blistering form in yesterday's first round, the British number one was awful in the first set as his German opponent took full advantage of his sky-high error count.
But with Schuettler appearing to tire badly, Murray raised his game, albeit to no more than third gear, to see off the ATP's 99th-ranked player.
A sluggish Murray lost the opening six points of the match and then conceded the first break following a string of unforced errors.
The Scot, seeded third, was again taken to deuce in his next service game but finally prevailed before the German claimed two more break points in the sixth.
He converted the second for a 5-1 lead after Murray fired a weak backhand into the net and then served out to love for the first set.
Schuettler, 31, conceded just a single point on his own serve in the opening set as Murray looked a pale shadow of the player who hammered Olivier Rochus 6-0 6-2 yesterday.
The Briton could at least take confidence from the fact that he recovered from an equally woeful opening to win in three sets on the only previous occasion the pair met, in Memphis in 2006.
And Murray was finally on the front foot to claim his first break for 2-0 in the second as Schuettler appeared to tire.
That became a double break as the 20-year-old began to dominate and cut out the errors which had marred his game earlier in the match.
Murray served out with ease to claim the second set 6-0.
Schuettler attempted to rally at the start of the third but a delicate forehand winner down the line at full stretch, which clinched Murray's first service game, was reflective of the youngster's renewed confidence.
So it was little surprise when Murray produced a fourth straight break of the Schuettler serve and he then won a ninth straight game before the German finally held.
It proved a brief respite, though, as Murray broke to love and then served out for 6-1.
The world number 11 will now play Thomas Johansson in the quarter-finals following the Swede's 6-3 7-5 win over Michael Berrer earlier today, as he looks to better last year's position as losing finalist.