Andy Murray says his next opponent at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells is a potential future world No 1.

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Murray reached the second round in the Californian desert with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Friday.

Murray now faces Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz in the second round.

Alcaraz, 18, recently made headlines when he upset world No 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the US Open third round, before making it to the quarter-finals.

The Scot told ATPTour.com that if he had to pick a future world No 1 from the young players on tour, he’d select Alcaraz.

“I think (Carlos) Alcaraz is really, really good,” Murray said. “I think he’s got a good chance at it.”

Murray is currently ranked No 121 on the ATP rankings and had to rely on a wild card to get into the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Third seed Alexander Zverev potentially awaits the winner of the Murray-Alcaraz match.

The German opens his campaign against highly-rated American young gun Jenson Brooksby.

ALSO READ | Fuming Andy Murray made TWO rookie mistakes in US Open defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas

Picture: Andy Murray – BNP Paribas Open/Twitter

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