Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return to Fabio Fognini of Italy during their men's singles match at the Rome Masters tennis tournament, May 15, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

ROME - Third seed Andy Murray pulled out of the Italian Open due to injury on Wednesday as Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round.

Fifth seed Nadal beat local hope Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-3 to kick off his quest for his seventh ATP title of the season, winning 74 percent of his service points and breaking his 25th-ranked opponent five times.

Murray, who is celebrating his 26th birthday, required treatment for a lower back injury midway through the second set of the match against Marcel Granollers. Then he decided to retire.

"I pulled out because there is a good chance I wouldn't be playing tomorrow. We'll have to wait for Paris. I'd be very surprised if I were playing in Paris," he told the ATP official website.

Andy Murray of Britain receives medical care during his match against Marcel Granollers of Spain at the Rome Masters tennis tournament, May 15, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

The French Open is to begin on May 26.

Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka also pulled out before his match against Alexandr Dolgopolov with a minor thigh injury.

World number 24 Jerzy Janowiczripped off his shirt after beating eighth-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 7-6.

In the women's singles, second seed Maria Sharapova beat Garbine Muguruza of Spain 6-2, 6-2 while China's Li Na went through with a 6-3, 6-1 win over compatriot Zheng Jie.