Murray elects to skip US singles
he celebrated by bowing after his effort.
Earlier in the day, Jordan Thompson lost to Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 in the first round.
Thompson battled hard for two hours and 23 minutes but it was the Japanese qualifier who won the crucial points to claim a third three-set win over the Australian in their three career encounters.
Marin Cilic became the first seed to lose in this year’s tournament when 39th-ranked Radu Albot defeated him 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) while Frenchman Richard Gasquet ousted Andy Murray 6-4, 6-4 in the Scot’s return to singles play after hip surgery. ANDY Murray announced he would not play singles at the US Open after losing in his return from hip surgery at the Cincinnati Masters.
The Scot lost 6-4, 6-4 to Richard Gasquet in his first singles match since his first round exit from January’s Australian Open before saying he had turned down a wildcard into the men’s draw at the year’s final grand slam.
“I am not going to play US Open singles,” Murray said.
“I didn’t feel I was able to make that decision before today’s match.”
The 32-year-old indicated he would play doubles and mixed doubles at Flushing Meadows in two weeks and left open the door for possibly for playing before then.
“I may play Winston-Salem potentially,” he said of the North Carolina event, which starts in six days.
“But I’ll probably look at just playing doubles and mixed doubles. That’s what I will do at the US Open.”
The former world No.1 arrived on centre court to huge cheers, with his good friend Nick Kyrgios among the interested onlookers.
In his first match since the hip resurfacing surgery he hopes will prolong his career, Murray started tentatively but improved over the course of the encounter.
But he was always up against it after Gasquet broke his serve to start both sets.
“I don’t really know what I was expecting, to be honest. I think I did OK,” he said.
“I think there was a lot of things I would like to have done better, but you also have to be somewhat realistic in terms of what you can expect.” Not having playing singles for several months had an obvious impact, he said.