Andy Murray kickstarted his Geneva Open campaign yesterday, but things were not going to plan before play was suspended.
The Scotsman was initially going blow for blow with the German Yannick Hanfmann, but at 5-5 in the first set was comprehensively broken.
Having failed to bring up a single break point, it felt like an inevitability that the 37-year-old might lose the set, but few likely expected the collapse that was to come.
Before the match was stopped, Murray found himself 4-1 down in the second set and staring down the barrel of another early exit ahead of next week’s Roland Garros.
Andy Murray complains at Gevena Open conditions
The most disappointing thing about this potential defeat for the Great British star is that, had he won, he would have set up a second-round clash with Novak Djokovic.
In one of tennis’ great longstanding battles, with the two having faced off against one another a whopping 36 times, there likely only would have ever been one winner.
But what a spectacle it would have promised, between two of the greatest tennis players of this generation, both of whom seem on the decline.
However, that now seems so far away, with Murray instead taking his frustrations out on the chair umpire.
Turning to him as the snow began to fall, he mumbled a string of frustrated grievances up at the man in charge before claiming: ‘But you’re fine for us to play when there’s stuff going in our eyes and in our mouth and stuff.’
The reply was short and sought to defuse the situation, but only made things worse: ‘But you said we have to play. Sorry? I asked you do we have to play and you said yes we have to keep playing.
‘Like it’s snowing out here and you still want us to keep playing.’
Andy Murray’s new racquet certainly is not set to enjoy the run-out that it was intended to receive.
Andy Murray struggling ahead of Roland Garros
Fortunately for Murray, there is little chance of there being much snow in Paris when he prepares to take to the French Open courts for the final time.
Much like Rafael Nadal, this year marks his farewell tour, and whilst there is no explicit date set for his retirement, it is largely expected to be sometime after Wimbledon.
This has been another tumultuous season for the three-time Grand Slam champion, and with injuries having been prevalent once again, it feels like he just can’t catch a break.
Just when he seemed to be finding his feet once again, back in March, an ankle injury ruled him out until recently.
And now, he is grossly unprepared for Roland Garros, where he is already bound to struggle due to his physical limitations.
Hopefully, should he get a bit more time to practise after what seems like a now-inevitable exit from Geneva, he can give a good account of himself and start to build towards his final Wimbledon.
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