Beijing: Former World No.1 Andy Murray has brought his season to a premature end Friday losing 4-6, 4-6 to Spanish Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals of the Shenzhen Open tennis tournament here. Murray has earlier announced that this would be his last event of the season pulling out of China Open.
The 31-year-old Briton is battling to regain top form and fitness following hip surgery in January is carefully managing his schedule following his operation in order to get the most out of his creaking body.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam title winner, will spend the winter working himself back to the sort of fitness levels that saw him capture nine titles in a stellar 2016 campaign, including his second Wimbledon crown and another Olympic gold.
“It was another three matches, which is positive,” said Murray after defeat to Verdasco. “But obviously I want to play better than that, I have higher ambitions than losing in the quarterfinals. I want to try to be better in these events.
“I need to spend more time on the practice court and the gym so that I’m more robust and physically in better shape,” he added.