Third seeds Kevin Ullyett and Jonas Bjorkman ended Andy Murray and Daniel Vallverdu unlikely partnership in the men’s doubles event at the Artois championships at Queens Club.

Murray and Vallverdu were beaten 6-4 6-4 by the world number 10 ranked pairing.

Veterans Jonas Bjorkman and Kevin Ullyett are one the most lethal new doubles teams, boasting more than 1100 career victories between them. The 36-year-old Bjorkman, exactly two months Ullyett’s senior, began the year with 675 career doubles wins and 51 titles. The Swede’s collection of titles includes nine Grand Slam crowns – three Australian Opens, three at Wimbledon, two at Roland Garros and one at the US Open. Ullyett, who entered the partnership with 435 career doubles wins and 30 titles is also a two time Grand Slam champion, winning the US Open and Australian Open.

The two matches that Murray has been able to play in the doubles will give in vital preparations for his match against Gulbis in the third round of singles event having been given a byr in round 1 and only manged 2 games in the second after his opponent retired hurt. Murray is likely to be on court around lunchtime tomorrow. Watch this space for a preview of tomorrow’s matches.

Andy’s bother Jamie Murray and his partner Max Mirnyi beat C. Guccione and Leyton Hewitt in their second round match, it was Jamie and Max’s first match on grass this year after receiving a bye in the first round. They will meet Eric Butorac and R. Ram in the next round. Eric Butorac is Jamie’s former doubles partner.

The unlikely team of Andy Murray and Dani Vallverdu won their opening doubles match of their 2008 Stella Artois Queens club campaign.

Dani Vallverdu, unranked singles player and world number 11th Andy Murray beat tough French pairing Richard Gasquet and Nicolas Mahut 4-6 7-5 10-4.

The pairing of Andy Murray and Dani Vallverdu is not that strange though, Murray and Vallverdu are old friends from their days at the Sanchez academy in Barcelona. In their junior days the duo actually formed a very good doubles partnership, they entered 5 tournaments together and won 4, the one they lost was because Vallverdu had to leave to go to another tournament. So they were really unbeaten and remain so after today’s event.

Murray and Vallverdu will now face 3rd seeds Kevin Ullyett and veteran Jonas Bjorkman who had a first round bye. Both Bjorkman and Ullyett are currently ranked in the world’s top-20 doubles players.

The main reason for Dani Vallverdu not to have any current singles ranking is that he is actually studying at University of Miami, where he is a business management major. During his time there he has been a four time All-American college tennis player.

Andy Murray and Daniel Vallverdu will enter the doubles competition as wild cards to this year’s Stella Artois Championships at Queens Club.

Vallverdu is a long term friend of Andy Murray and the 22 year old has only ever played 4 singles matches and 3 doubles matches on the main ATP tour. Is current record on ATP singles matches stands at won 1 lost 3 and for doubles it fairs better at won 2 lost 1. His other matches coming on the futures and challengers tour, where his win record is approx 50%.

Daniel Vallverdu though does bring much Davis Cup experience to the table having played 8 rubbers over 6 seperate ties for Venezuela despite actually being born in Valencia, Spain.

The duo have been paired against French pair Richard Gasquet and Nicolas Mahut. Gasquet was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year and returns to tennis after missing the French open last month and Mahut was runner up in the singles event here last year.

Murray and Vallverdu have never played together before and Gasguet and Mahut are both good grass court player, so we are right not to expect much. Though even with the odds stacked against them, this will actually be a really important match for Andy Murray. It’s his first match on British Soil this year, first ATP match on Grass since Wimbledon 2 years ago.