andy murray
Andy Murray is currently ranked number 2 in the men's ATP tennis rankings Getty

Andy Murray takes on Gilles Simon in the men's singles second round clash of the 2016 Erste Bank Open on Thursday (27 October).

Where to watch live

Match starts at 4.30pm BST. Live coverage of the game will be available in the UK on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD. Click here to watch the match via live stream.

Overview

World number two Andy Murray who is chasing Novak Djokovic's number one ranking comes into this clash on the back of a 6-3, 6-7, 6-0 win over Martin Klizan in his opening game at Vienna. If Murray thought he would have an easy game, he was in for a surprise as the Slovakian player gave him a stiff test in a game that lasted two hours and 22 minutes.

The Brit who is currently on a 11-match winning run will be the favourite not only to win this clash but also the tournament as he aims to close the gap on Djokovic as the ATP season comes to an end.

His opponent Gilles Simon has not had the best of times in 2016, not really making an impact on the court. His best performance was the Shanghai Masters where he beat defending US Open champion Stan Wawrinka to reach the semi-finals.

The French international does not have the best of records against Murray and will need to be on top of his game if he has to cause an upset on the courts of Vienna.

Betting odds (betfair)

  • Andy Murray to win: 1/12
  • Gilles Simon to win: 7

Head-to-head

The duo have faced each other 17 times in the ATP tours and Grand slam events, with Murray holding a 15-2 win loss record. The last time they met was in the semi-final of the 2016 Shanghai Masters with Murray winning 6-4, 6-3.

Vienna Open history

Murray and Simon have never faced each other at the Vienna Open.

Andy Murray