Andy Murray's 2023 season got off to a disappointing start as he was knocked out of the Adelaide International 1 in the first round by the USA's Sebastian Korda.
Murray lost 6-7[3] 3-6 in exactly one hour and 56 minutes, as Korda advanced to face Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round.
Korda broke Murray in the seventh game of the first set before the three-time Grand Slam winner responded immediately to get the contest back on serve, but he largely struggled to keep the American at bay.
A frustrated Murray - who only succeeded with 51% of his first serves in the opening set - saved two break points in the 11th game before being comprehensively beaten in the tie-breaker.
Korda broke once more in the sixth game of the second set, and Murray missed another chance to earn the break back immediately as the American sealed a straight-sets win with a love hold.
Murray was not the only Brit to suffer a first-round exit in Adelaide, as Kyle Edmund lost 3-6 2-6 to Italian sixth seed Jannik Sinner, leaving Jack Draper - who faces Karen Khachanov in Wednesday's second-round match - as the only British man left standing in the singles tournament.
However, there was joy in Auckland for Emma Raducanu, who came back from a set and a break down to beat 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6 6-4 6-2 in the first round of the ASB Classic.
Ben Knapton
