Andy Murray’s Geneva Open reprieve is brief before first-round defeat

Andy Murray’s reprieve at the Geneva Open proved a brief one as he played just three games before losing in the first round to Yannick Hanfmann.

Murray had trailed the German by a set and a double break on Monday evening when impending storms sent the players from the court and brought play to an early end.

And Hanfmann took care of business under sunny skies on Tuesday lunchtime, needing barely 10 minutes to wrap up a 7-5 6-2 victory.

Murray was playing his first match on the ATP Tour since suffering an ankle injury in March and he will now head to the French Open having played only three matches on clay.

The Scot had complained about pollen blowing in from a nearby park as he struggled against the powerful Hanfmann on Monday.

He won the opening two points on the German’s serve on the resumption as he sought to make an immediate impact but Hanfmann promptly reeled off four in a row.

Although Murray then held serve comfortably, he could not force a break, dropping his racket to the court after netting a forehand before Hanfmann clinched victory with an ace.

The German will now take on Novak Djokovic in round two, while Murray departs for Paris where he is set to play at Roland Garros for the first time in four years.

There was also defeat in Geneva for Jack Draper, with the eighth seed losing out 7-6 (6) 6-1 to Czech Tomas Machac.