Andy Murray: Brit surrenders lead in first-round defeat to home favourite Benoit Paire in Montpellier

Andy Murray was beaten 2-6 7-6(5) 6-3 by home favourite Benoit Paire at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier on Monday.

In the opening set, Paire showed moments of quality but struggled with his forehand as he set out to overcome a player in the top 50 for the first time since 2022.

Murray, ranked No. 49 in the world, sealed an early break to build a two-game cushion after capitalising on a couple of Paire errors.

The Brit stayed patient to hold to 15 as Paire continued to make unforced errors, but the home player was finally on the board in the fourth.

The Frenchman delivered a remarkable drop shot and followed it up with an inch-perfect lob, before firing an ace to cap off an impressive game.

Murray looked energised as he won the fifth game following more errors from Paire, as the 36-year-old wrapped up a hold of serve with a volley at the net.

The Brit managed to see out a convincing first set with Paire dropping two double-faults in the eighth game.

The pair enjoyed an electric second set, but this time it was Paire who broke early in the second game after Murray handed him three break points.

Murray’s plan to get the match wrapped up as early as possible began to look less and less likely until he struck back with a break of his own for 4-4.

However, a tie-break was needed to split them and Paire concluded a thrilling set relatively comfortably.

Things looked bleak for Murray when Paire broke early in the third to take control of the match.

But Murray hit back and then earned three break points at 2-2, each of which Paire swatted away. Murray was left furious when his decisive ball was called long, but with no challenges left, Paire held.

Murray hung on to the set for as long as he could, but his 34-year-old counterpart sealed a decisive break for 5-3 before closing out the win.

Elsewhere, Katie Boulter progressed at the Linz Open, beating sixth seed Jasmine Paolini 6-2 6-2 in just 72 minutes.