Murray faces uphill struggle

tennis: Scot and Soares lose ATP Tour Finals opener against Americans

Jamie Murray’s ATP Finals bid began in defeat yesterday as he and partner Bruno Soares were beaten in a match tie-break by American duo Mike and Bob Bryan.

Murray and Soares trailed their distinguished opponents by a set and 4-1 at the O2 Arena, although only after a dramatic collapse that saw them spurn three set points and a 5-3 lead.

They fought back to take the second set but a topsy-turvy contest turned again in the deciding tie-break as the Bryans recovered to win 7-5 6-7 (3/7) 10-8.

Murray, sporting a Union Jack wristband, is the only British representative here while his younger brother Andy remains out injured and, but for a sudden lapse in concentration, this was a match he and Soares should have won.

Defeat leaves Murray and Soares with work to do to qualify from their group, which also includes Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers, and Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo.

“We had it on our racket in a way, then we let it slip,” Murray said.

“We lost quite a lot of matches like that this year. We just need to find a way to do better in those moments and close things out when we have the chance.”

Meanwhile Grigor Dimitrov overcame a bout of beginner’s nerves to mark his ATP Finals debut with a three-set win over Dominic Thiem.

Dimitrov surrendered a one-set lead and then needed two chances to serve for victory in the decider before edging past the talented Thiem 6-3 5-7 7-5.

With Murray sidelined, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the stand-out attractions at this week’s tournament but there may be few contests as entertaining as this one, lasting two hours and 19 minutes.

Dimitrov – ranked a career-high sixth in the world – could even be a dark horse to top the group.

To do so, he will have to calm his nerves however. The 26-year-old is the first Bulgarian qualifier here in the competition’s 48-year history and he admitted on court afterwards that he had struggled to handle the pressure.

“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous in my first match out here,” Dimitrov said.

“It’s not the same as practising on this court, you feel the weight on your shoulders, in a positive way of course. I’m just very grateful to win in that manner. It’s not easy playing here for the first time.”

First up today is Marin Cilic – who lost to Alexander Zverev in his opener on Sunday – and American Jack Sock before Federer, who is bidding for a record-stretching seventh ATP Finals crown, takes on Zverev in the evening clash.

World No 1 Rafael Nadal suffered a crushing blow as he began his bid for a first ATP Tour Finals crown last night. The Spaniard, who won the French and US Open titles this year, was beaten by Belgian David Goffin 7-6 6-7 6-4 in a three-set epic.