Ice-cool Ivan takes the heat off Murray as world No 4 prepares for second-round French test

Ivan Lendl may not know too much about Andy Murray's opponent in the second round of the Australian Open, but he is probably quite knowledgeable about his father.

Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin is the world No 101 and Lendl twice played against his pere, Christophe, who was once good enough to have reached the semi-finals of Roland Garros, in 1983.

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But then, as Murray's new coach has conceded, an immediate knowledge of all modern players is not the reason he has been hired.

The idea is more to bring gravitas and almost unparalleled nous about how to win the big tournaments into the camp.

Lendl was seated, stony-faced, in his support box for the first time at a Grand Slam on Monday, and there was some indication that he is already having an effect in the calm way Murray responded to an opening onslaught to tame gifted American teenager Ryan Harrison.

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There is a good chance the 24-year-old Scot would have worn down the young Roscoe Tanner lookalike anyway after losing the first set in brutal temperatures that never dipped below 30 degrees Celsius.

But Murray set about his business admirably and refused to get rattled, knowing there was someone in his corner who has suffered onslaughts from young tyros at the highest level countless times and lived to tell the tale.

'He (Lendl) didn't look like he was panicking at any stage, which was a good sign because it was a big match for both of us,' said Murray after a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory that took three-and-a quarter hours.

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'He is a bit poker-faced and didn't do too much in the match, it's important the player trusts the coach and the coach trusts the player.

'It's good to have someone there who understands how you might be feeling at the start of the Grand Slam, playing against someone you haven't faced, in difficult conditions.

'A person without that experience might be like, “What the hell were you doing in the first set, those first six or seven games” He understands the feelings you go through.'

While Lendl was emotionless in the box, doing little but make the odd aside to Murray's ever-present friend and hitting partner Dani Vallverdu, it was interesting to note that the whole team, from mother Judy downwards, were slightly more subdued than normal, as if they were taking their cue.

Are you sitting comfortably Murray's camp appeared less animated than usual

In return they did not get shouted at, even when there was serious pressure on at the start of the second set. The limited haranguing Murray got into was either at himself or his footwear, which occasionally got stuck in the burning hard-court surface.

Ultimately, though, it is always the player who plays the points, and there was nothing massively new about his actual game. It was the ability to cut out his first-set errors and wear out the Texan that brought victory.

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Away from the court, the No 4 seed has been delighted with the way Lendl and his somewhat slapstick sense of humour have gelled with the team.

'He is a funny guy, and everyone is joking around, it's important everyone is happy around him,' said Murray.

His reward is a more comfortable-looking tie against a 28-year-old French journeyman who has strong English connections.

His grandmother is English, his father was brought up in London until he was 15 and he has spent plenty of time there.

'I love a lot of things English, like bread sauce, and I've spent a lot of time there,' he said after going through when his first-round opponent, Xavier Malisse, defaulted with an arm injury.

'The French guys have asked me why I don't play in the Davis Cup for Britain but it wouldn't be right, I'm a Frenchman.'

Murray will be pleased about that because he has a remarkable record against those from across the Channel.

Since losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga here four years ago he has won 36 out of 37 matches against French players with only Gael Monfils, whom he is due to play in this year's fourth round, having beaten him.

The British No 1 thought about learning their language, but instead has been trying to master Spanish: 'I got one of those Rosetta Stone courses last month and did it religiously for five or six days but it went pear-shaped because I'd be doing it at night when my girlfriend was sleeping. I'd be on the computer speaking Spanish to it and she'd be saying, “Just turn that thing off!”, so I'm blaming her.'

Novak Djokovic made an electric start to his title defence, beating Italy's Paolo Lorenzi 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 in just 92 minutes.