Paris, Nov 13(ANI): British tennis player Andy Murray exhibited the after-effects of a late night when Czech Radek Stepanek dumped him out of the Paris Masters.
The Scot had earlier completed his three-set victory over James Blake at 1.45am, got to bed at 4am and was back on court by 5.45pm to face Stepanek.
"I said last night that it would be difficult to come back and feel 100 per cent today. It was obviously a limited recovery after a long match," The Independent quoted Murray, as saying.
It proved to be too much as Murray lost to the 30-year-old for the first time in their four meetings.
Murray did race through the opening set, but Stepanek found his rhythm with his serve and the Brit could not summon the energy for a fightback. He was beaten 1-6 6-3 6-4 by the World No. 14.
The fourth-seed now joins World No 1 Roger Federer and the retiring Marat Safin in making an early exit. (ANI)
The Scot had earlier completed his three-set victory over James Blake at 1.45am, got to bed at 4am and was back on court by 5.45pm to face Stepanek.
"I said last night that it would be difficult to come back and feel 100 per cent today. It was obviously a limited recovery after a long match," The Independent quoted Murray, as saying.
It proved to be too much as Murray lost to the 30-year-old for the first time in their four meetings.
Murray did race through the opening set, but Stepanek found his rhythm with his serve and the Brit could not summon the energy for a fightback. He was beaten 1-6 6-3 6-4 by the World No. 14.
The fourth-seed now joins World No 1 Roger Federer and the retiring Marat Safin in making an early exit. (ANI)
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