Shanghai - Two-time winner Andy Murray
avoided the fate of Roger Federer when he cantered through his Shanghai Masters
opener against Steve Johnson 6-2, 6-4 on Wednesday to set up a meeting with
John Isner.
After Federer's shock loss to 70th-ranked
Albert Ramos-Vinolas late on Tuesday, there were no banana-skins for the
British world number two as he returned to action following a four-week break.
Outspoken Australian Nick Kyrgios flirted
with a 28-day ban after he was slapped with his second code violation in as
many matches during his 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Japan's Kei Nishikori.
But Australian number one Bernard Tomic
reached the third round when he beat David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2 - denting the
Spaniard's hopes of reaching the World Tour Finals in London.
Federer complained that he found it tough
to adapt to the Shanghai conditions after his 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-3 to
Ramos-Vinolas, but Murray said he had arrived early enough to acclimatise.
"I think it's not so much that the
conditions are really tricky here, it's that they're quite different to Beijing
and Tokyo. All of the players say that," said the 2010 and 2011 champion.
"It does take a bit of time to get
used to the conditions here. But for me, that was a big positive in getting
here early this year that I've had five days to get used to it."
Kyrgios was again at the centre of
controversy when he received a code violation for smacking away a loose ball
and nearly hitting a line judge - a day after he was fined $1,500 for an
audible obscenity.
If the 20-year-old totals $5,000 in fines
by February 24 he will trigger the 28-day suspended ban he received in August
for making a sexual comment about Stan Wawrinka's girlfriend.
But Kyrgios, who sparred with umpire
Mohamed Lahyani in yet another combustible display, insisted he wasn't concerned about a potential ban, even with the Australian Open looming in
January.
"Not concerned at all. If it happens,
it happens," shrugged the world number 32, adding: "I probably
shouldn't have done it. But I didn't think it was too bad. I don't know, can't
really change it now."