andymurray

Murray Follows Form at Indian Wells and Loses

The No. 2 player in the world falls in the BNP Paribas Open to an Argentinian so far below his rank you wonder if new fatherhood has him sleep-deprived

Bill Dwyre Tennis

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The men’s side of the Indian Wells tennis draw can no longer stir up chatter about the sport’s Big Four. After Monday, the BNP Paribas Open is all about the Big One, Novak Djokovic, and some other guys.

Andy Murray was No. 2 to Djokovic, in seeding here and world ranking, so that was still an attractive Indian Wells potential final to discuss. That’s especially true because, in the first men’s major final of the year, the Australian Open in January, Djokovic beat Murray.

And with Roger Federer absent because he’s recovering from knee surgery, and the longtime No. 4 Rafael Nadal slipping in form and world ranking to No. 5, behind Stan Wawrinka, the Djokovic-Murray buzz was needed even more.

But then Murray played a stinker second round Monday and lost to 53rd-ranked Federico Delbonis of Argentina, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3). Now, the only one of the Big Four left at Indian Well is Djokovic and, kind of, Nadal.

Murray hung on long enough to get the match into a tiebreaker, but then served twice in the tiebreaker at 3-4 and lost both points, leaving the match on Delbonis’ racket. Most pros can handle that, and Delbonis did, enticing Murray to hit wide on match point.

To be fair, Murray has cut back on his schedule since the Australian. This was only his second tournament of the year. He took time off for the birth of his first child, Sophia Oliva, born Feb. 7.

The public address announcer characterized Delbonis’ win as probably the best victory of his career. Delbonis had defeated Federer in the Hamburg semifinals in 2013, but 2013 was also the year in which Federer struggled badly with injuries. Also, Federer was No. 3 then.

Murray was his usual poised, analytical self in the aftermath, even though he had to admit that the Southern California desert has never treated him all that well. He has never won here, and his best finish is his 2009 loss to Nadal in the final.

“I’ve never played well here,” he said. “I don’t know why.”

He mentioned that the ball goes through the air faster in the dry desert air, and it bounces higher. But he was not using that as an excuse, just searching for an answer.

“I’ve tried a lot of different things,” Murray said. “I’ve come here early, come in at the last minute.  I’ve strung my racket five or six times tighter. I just don’t know.”

Hope springs eternal in tennis, and so it did with Murray, who said he would be in Miami in a couple of days to prepare for the next Tennis Masters Series event, one in which he has done well. He will also get to join his wife, Kim, and new baby there.

Follow Bill Dwyre on Twitter: @billdwyre