Fourth-seeded Andy Murray tumbled out of the BNP Paribas Open in his opening match Saturday night, making 34 unforced errors and failing to convert any of his seven break chances in a shock 6-4, 6-2 loss to Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
“I’m not exactly sure why that happened tonight,” Murray said. “I played well in practice. I was hitting the ball really well and I felt pretty fresh. I didn’t move my best tonight, but it didn’t feel like I was moving really badly. My return let me down, and he hardly missed the ball. There was obviously a reason behind why I didn’t play well and I’ll find that reason and address it.”
Murray, 24, had come into the tournament in buoyant mood after reaching his first final in Dubai where he eventually perished to Roger Federer, who was picking up a fifth title in the Emirates.
Murray had been expected to cruise past the 92nd-ranked Garcia-Lopez having won their two previous meetings, but that was not the case as the Spaniard made it third time lucky against his more esteemed opponent.
Murray’s second-round departure removes one of the bigger obstacles for Novak Djokovic, the top-ranked Serb who opened his bid for a third title in the event with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over qualifier Andrey Golubev.
Djokovic, a winner over Rafael Nadal last year in the finale at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and also the 2008 champion, is 23-4 on the slow PlexiPave courts that he said favour his game.
The world No.1, winner of the last three Grand Slams including his epic victory over Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open, will face South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in the third round.
Murray was not the only big-name departure as No.16 seed Richard Gasquet also bowed out with a three-set loss, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1, to Spain’s Albert Ramos. There was though better news for French fans as Gilles Simon as he overcame a battling Dudi Sela to reach the third round.
Home fans had plenty to cheer as Americans John Isner, Andy Roddick, who is at his lowest ranking (31) since August 2001, Mardy Fish and Ryan Harrison all sealed safe passage into the next rounds.
