{"id":19805,"date":"2023-10-31T11:26:08","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T11:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/murray-tanks-in-paris-masters-exit-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T11:26:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T11:26:08","slug":"murray-tanks-in-paris-masters-exit-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/murray-tanks-in-paris-masters-exit-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Murray tanks in Paris Masters exit | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nPARIS:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Andy Murray missed a match point and blew a 5-2 lead in the final set to suffer his sixth straight defeat to Alex de Minaur<\/a> in the Paris Masters first round on Monday.<\/p>\n

The three-time Grand Slam champion appeared poised to finally clinch a first win over Australian De Minaur after a double-break in the deciding set, but slumped to a 7-6 (7\/5), 4-6, 7-5 loss.<\/p>\n

Murray has still not won a match at Bercy Arena since lifting the title in 2016 en route to finishing as the year-end world number one.<\/p>\n

The Briton saw three set points come and go before losing the first set in a tie-break, but bounced back to level the match and then take control.<\/p>\n

But he twice failed to serve out the match, missing a match point in the 10th game.<\/p>\n

De Minaur instead secured victory to set up a second-round tie with either Serbian lucky loser Dusan Lajovic or French wildcard Benjamin Bonzi.<\/p>\n

Murray<\/a> let slip two game points in the 12th and final game before being broken again, smashing his racquet in frustration when his exit was confirmed after three hours on court.<\/p>\n

It was De Minaur’s fourth win over Murray this year.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere on the first day of the tournament, American ninth seed Taylor Fritz swept aside Argentina’s Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-4 to boost his hopes of reaching next month’s ATP Finals in Turin.<\/p>\n

Fritz is 10th in the standings for the season-ending event, with the top eight to qualify.<\/p>\n

US Open semi-finalist Ben Shelton lost 7-6 (7\/4), 5-7, 6-3 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.<\/p>\n

American 14th seed Frances Tiafoe lost 6-3, 6-4 to Alexander Bublik.<\/p>\n

The defeat ended Tiafoe’s slim hopes of reaching Turin.<\/p>\n

Karen Khachanov, the 2018 champion, progressed with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Australia’s Max Purcell.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n