(Reuters) - Andy Murray's preparations for the U.S. Open got off to a poor start when the Briton suffered a stunning 6-4 4-6 7-6 (4) loss to unseeded Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili in the second round of the Citi Open in Washington on Wednesday.
The top-seeded Murray was never allowed to settle by the hard-serving Gabashvili, who blasted 11 aces and broke late in the third set before holding his nerve in the tiebreaker for his finest victory of the season.
The world number 53's previous high point of the campaign was his advance to the fourth round of the French Open but his victory over third-ranked Murray marks the fourth time the 30-year-old has secured a win against a top-10 opponent.