Andy Murray through in Barcelona as Bernard Tomic pulls out

Top-seed Andy Murray is through to the third round of the Barcelona Open without playing a match after Bernard Tomic withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday.

Andy Murray is through to the third round of the clay-court tournament in Barcelona. Picture: Mark J. Terrill/AP

Tomic, who needed three sets to defeat Dustin Brown in the first round on Tuesday, said he would not be able to face Murray because of a lower back injury.

The top-ranked Murray was originally going to skip the Barcelona Open but decided to play after being eliminated in the third round at the Monte Carlo Masters, when he blew a 4-0 lead in the deciding set to Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Murray is trying to regain his form going into the French Open following a right elbow injury that kept him out of the Miami Open and the Davis Cup quarter-finals.

He was given a bye in the first round.

He is scheduled to meet either Feliciano Lopez or Albert Montanes in the third round.