By Andy Murray’s aspirations for a strong showing at the Geneva Open were thwarted as Yannick Hanfmann emerged victorious in their first-round encounter, which concluded after an unexpected weather delay. Murray, once the pinnacle of British tennis, succumbed in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, to the world number 85.
The match, initially disrupted by peculiar weather conditions that blanketed the court with white pollen, resembling a snowy scene, was postponed to the following day. Murray’s performance was marred by consecutive double faults, leading to a break of serve for Hanfmann just before the suspension of play.
Upon resumption on Tuesday, Hanfmann swiftly secured the win, marking a setback for Murray, who was seeking to regain form ahead of the French Open. His defeat also dashed the prospect of a much-anticipated match against the top-ranked Novak Djokovic, which would have been their first clash since the 2017 Doha final.
In related news, Britain’s Dan Evans experienced a narrow defeat at the Lyon Open, losing to Arthur Rinderknech despite having a match point in a gripping final set tie-break. Rinderknech, ranked 73rd in the world, now advances to face the victor of the bout between Jaume Munar and Frances Tiafoe.
