BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) - Frustrated David Nalbandian vowed to lift his game after a sloppy winning performance on Tuesday at the Barcelona Open as Andy Murray crashed to defeat in the city where he learned the clay.

Third seed Nalbandian boasts a pair of quarter-finals at the Real club and had had pride on the line as he finally scraped past fellow Argentine Agustin Calleri 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 to reach the third round.

"I'm not happy at all with my match," said Nalbandian, winner of his eighth ATP title this spring in Buenos Aires.

"It was windy and it's so tough to play a Davis Cup teammate.

"I have to really lift my level. I must improve day by day if I'm to even think about going much farther."

Seventh seed Murray was upended in unceremonious fashion as Croatian Mario Ancic took 6-4, 6-4 revenge in their second-round clash after losing February's Marseille final to the British number one.

But after winning a pair last week in Monte Carlo, late wild card entry Murray admitted that he was barely motivated in his match-up with Ancic,

"I didn't get that fired-up," said the Scot, back in the Top 20 but far from his former Top-10 status.

"I was going to be here practising anyway, so I had hoped to get a few matches."

Murray spent his junior days in Barcelona but finds himself still unable to compete consistently well on the surface. His only win here came in 2006.

"I was flat at the start, but my priority is to train for Rome and Hamburg. I wanted to continue form last week, but (playing here) is not the be-all and end-all.

"I've now got four or five days to get ready for Rome. It and Hamburg are the most important ones going into the French Open. All of the major players should be there, which was not the case last week."

Frustration mounted for former Roland Garros finalist Guillermo Coria as the fading Argentine exited 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to Teimuraz Gabashvili.

Coria, who led 4-2 in the final set, could not hold on against the number 138 Georgian-born Russian, losing his opening match in just over two hours with nine double-faults.

The former third in the world now stands a distant 811th and has made just three Tour appearances this season.

But the South American remained surprisingly resilient in defeat after losing one month ago in a Naples challenger 6-0, 4-6, 6-0.

"I've tried with many psychologists, but they haven't found the answer," he said of his long-term slump. It has to come from inside myself.

"I must be more humble, to accept where I am in the game. Before, I didn't enjoy my tennis. But it's different now."

Two Spanish seeds reached the second round through retirements.

Number 10 Nicolas Almagro advanced when Serb Viktor Troicki quit after losing a 6-2 first set and 16th seed Feliciano Lopez needed only 5-2 before Argentine Jose Acasuso gave up.

Rafael Nadal will open play on Wednesday against Potito Starace after the Italian defeated Australian Peter Luczak 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.