Monte Carlo Masters: Andy Murray faces qualifier in second round but avoids Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer

Murray has been placed in the same half as Stan Wawrinka and clay king Rafael Nadal

Andy Murray received a bye in the first round at the Monte Carlo Masters (Getty)

Andy Murray started training on clay in Florida after his third-round exit from the Miami Masters last month. The world No 2 arrived here on Wednesday last week. This will be his first appearance at the Monte Carlo Masters since 2013, when he won only three games in a third-round defeat to Stan Wawrinka. He has twice reached the semi-finals, losing to Rafael Nadal on each occasion.

Murray, who partners Dominic Inglot against Pablo Cuevas and Marcel Granollers in the first round of the doubles on Tuesday, has a first-round bye in the singles. His first singles match will be against a qualifier in the second round.

Thereafter Murray is seeded to play France’s Benoit Paire in the third round, Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals and Wawrinka or Nadal in the semi-finals. Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer are the top seeds in the other half of the draw and could meet in the semi-finals.