Andy Murray suffered a disappointing defeat in the first round of the Geneva Open as he fell to Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets. The match, which was interrupted by bizarre weather conditions, saw Murray struggle to find his rhythm and ultimately lose 7-5 6-2.
The former British No 1 was trailing 4-1 in the second set when gusts of wind blew white pollen onto the court, prompting a postponement until the following day. Despite the unusual circumstances, Murray couldn’t find his form and handed Hanfmann a comfortable victory when play resumed.
Murray’s defeat comes as a setback in his return to the ATP Tour, as he had hoped to use the Geneva Open as preparation for the French Open. His loss means he misses the opportunity to face world number one Novak Djokovic in the second round.
Meanwhile, British number three Dan Evans also faced a tough first-round match at the Lyon Open, where he narrowly missed out on victory against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech. Despite holding a match point, Evans was unable to secure the win, falling 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-6) in a thrilling final set.
Rinderknech’s victory sets up a second-round clash with either Jaume Munar or Frances Tiafoe. Tennis fans can catch all the action from the WTA and ATP Tours on Sky Sports Tennis throughout 2024 with a NOW Sports Month Membership.