Andy Murray crashes out of Miami Open with shock Dusan Lajovic loss

| by Tom Grant

Andy Murray must put a disappointing sunshine double behind him after suffering an early exit for the second event in a row at the Miami Open.

The 2013 champion was looking to bounce back from a third-round loss to compatriot Jack Draper at Indian Wells a week ago but came up short as he was beaten in straight sets 4-6, 5-7 by Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic at the Hard Rock Stadium.

Perhaps the strangest element of the pre-match talk was the stat that Murray and Lajovic had never crossed paths on-court before, despite Murray being on tour since 2005 and Lajovic from 2007 respectively.

And it showed early on as a cagey start saw both men hold firm on serve as they tried to work the other out, the Scot the first to pass up two break point opportunities. But as is so often the way with tennis the breakthrough happened against the run of play, Lajovic stunning the three-time Grand Slam winner to break to love and lead 4-3.

"He's a really special person" - Draper reacts to Indian Wells win over idol Murray
"He's a really special person" - Draper reacts to Indian Wells win over idol Murray

No doubt Murray had the better of the early exchanges but now it was Lajovic who would lead from the front, wrapping up the first set with just the one break needed. There would be no panic from Murray or his team, so many times already this season sitting down between sets having to hit the reset button in a tight match.

Much like the first, the second went with serve, everything the former British No.1 tried being repelled expertly by Lajovic. At 4-4, the Serb had won 16 of his 18 service points, not giving Murray a sniff of a route back into the match. Again Lajovic would strike at just the right moment, making it two out of two on the break points when Murray pushed a backhand long.

That meant it was the Serbian World No.76 who would serve for the win. But this is Andy Murray, and as he has done so many times before, just when all hope is fading, he broke serve to prolong the match. But it wasn't enough to shift the momentum in his favour and Lajovic got a second go at serving for the victory when a tired looking Murray found the net to lose serve.

And this time Lajovic did his job, winning his first hard court match if the year and stunning Murray who never really got into his groove. Focus for the Scot now turns to the European clay court season as he builds for his return to the French Open.

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