Andy Murray moved within one win of qualifying for the ATP World Tour finals as he brushed aside Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Masters.
The British No.1 needed just 71 minutes to reach the last 16 in Paris and, should he advance to the quarter-finals, his place at the O2 Arena will be secure.
Murray opened with an emphatic love hold and was gifted an immediate break by three Benneteau double faults, including on break point.
The Frenchman finally got on the board in his next service game but Murray went to 4-1, having dropped only one point on his own serve.
Benneteau at least forced him to serve out the set but, facing set point, sent a forehand return long as Murray took the upper hand with minimal fuss.
He broke in the opening game of the second set and was two breaks ahead at 4-1, but fell 0-40 down after some strong returning from Benneteau.
He saved the three break points but gave up a fourth, which Benneteau took to cut the deficit.
Benneteau held serve to get back to 3-4 but, at 5-4, Murray was serving for the match - and he finished as he started, with a love hold rounded off by an emphatic forehand winner.
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