By Alberto Amalfi
© Andy Murray

(November 2, 2010) Andy Murray was older brother Jamie's best man in his wedding last month. Murray was the better man in his return to tournament tennis today. The top-seeded Scot launched defense of his Valencia title with a 6-3, 7-6(1) victory over Spanish southpaw Feliciano Lopez at the Valencia Open 500.

The fourth-ranked Murray broke serve in the fourth game, won 11 of 12 points on his first serve and did not face a break point in the opening set.

Lopez, who will take on the Murray brothers in doubles later today, fought back to break Murray and forge a 4-1 second-set lead.

The 23-year-old Murray broke back and later fought off successive set points serving at 4-5 before forcing the tie breaker. Murray picked apart Lopez in the breaker to seal an 86-minute win and raise his record to 42-14.

It is Murray's first tournament since he swept Roger Federer in the Shanghai Rolex Masters final to collect his second title of the season. Murray beat David Nalbandian, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and Federer in succession to win the Rogers Cup in Toronto in August.