Andy Murray produced three double-faults in the final game – one on match point – to hand over a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 opening win to retiring Frenchman Gilles Simon in a disaster start for the Scot at the Paris Masters on Monday.
Murray served for a straight-sets win leading a set and 5-3 against a rival he had beaten in 16 of 18 previous matches.
But after throwing away his winning chance, the 35-year-old’s game was never the same.
He had 31 winners and 52 unforced errors in a horror-show performance on Halloween
Interruptions and constant catcalls from Parisian fans of the 37-year-old Simon – who will retire this week when his indoor run is over – did not help the Murray mood.
The former No. 1 didn’t bother to shake hands with chair umpire Fergus Murphy, to whom he complained repeatedly about spectator behavior.
“It was a crazy match,” Simon said. “I was behind the whole match…
“At 3-4 in the second set I felt a lot of emotions coming. It was difficult to play my service game at that moment and he broke me.
“He got tight at 5-3 and this time I managed to push, hold my serve and break him again. I tried to push on every game.
“It was really difficult physically, but it was difficult physically on his side. But I thought ‘Come on, I have a chance to beat him.’ It is not like I have the best record against Andy.
“I really wanted to win this one and I was really happy I was able to do it.”
Murray walked off after nearly three hours with eight double-faults, losing his serve six times.
In the first set, he took a 3-0 but was knocked back by Simon with the constant coval help of his home French crowd. as he played here for the 18th and final time.
The 48th-ranked Murray lost his break and had to re-break in the final game to secure the opening set.
But the Scot’s resources seemed to fade in the second set with a pair of service breaks in the third and fourth games bringing the set back level.
Murray was broken while serving for victory at 5-3, with Simon running off 10 straight points as he reached 6-5 with a second break of the three-time Grand Slam winner.
Simon finished off the set to bring on a deciding third to the delight of his partisan fans.
Main photo:- Andy Murray loses first round match – by Chrylsene Caillaud
