Jamie Murray enjoyed a winning start to life as the world's number one doubles player as he and partner Bruno Soares won an epic battle at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Murray and Soares were up against Daniel Nestor and Radek Stepanek, the same pair they beat in the Australian Open final in January, and Murray came through again, this time winning 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (11-9) 14-12.
His triumph in Melbourne, as well as two grand slam doubles finals last year, propelled Murray to take top spot in the doubles rankings last month. He is the first Briton to do so since Virginia Wade in 1973.
Nestor and Stepanek boast a combined age of 80 and have won 106 doubles titles between them but the experienced duo wasted three match points as Murray and Soares sneaked through.
The match finished on a slightly sour note as Murray and Soares spent almost five minutes complaining to the umpire about a ball they felt he had failed to call out.
Murray was particularly exasperated, arguing the umpire should come down to inspect the mark on the court and then asking his coaching team in the crowd about the rules for doing so.
Nestor and Stepanek lost the next three points in a row as Murray and Soares booked their place in the third round.
It was an outcome that earlier looked unlikely after Murray and Soares had lost a first-set tie-break from 4-1 up and then let another lead slip in the second set, when their opponents came from 3-0 down to level at 4-4.
Murray and Soares both had to save match points in the tie-break but when their own opportunity came, they took it, as Soares served out the set with an ace.
The drama continued in the Championship tie-break as Murray and Soares opened up two match points at 9-7 but failed to take either chance.
Nestor and Stepanek went on to lead 12-11 but not without controversy, as Murray and Soares asked the umpire to inspect the mark from a ball they believed was out, with Murray saying, "Umpires always do it, I see it every week on TV".
The decision stood but the interruption may have disturbed the concentration of Nestor, who immediately served a double fault before Murray and Soares closed out a dramatic victory.
Source: PA
