Murray loses humble county match

World number three Andy Murray traded the glamour of the world's biggest tennis stages for the more humble surrounds of a modest local tournament, and ended on the losing side.

North of Scotland found themselves short of players for their county week clash against Hertfordshire at Eastbourne on Wednesday and Murray, ranked below only Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the world stage, volunteered his services.

The 22-year-old Scot interrupted preparations for the U.S. hardcourt season to play three doubles matches on a modest line of grasscourts, where no ballboys or girls meant the players retrieve their own balls, in the English south coast town.

He and his partner won all three contests but it was not enough for the Scottish side, which also featured Andy's brother Jamie, from going down 5-4 in the all-doubles event.

"I know pretty much all these guys from junior days," Andy Murray said.

"I don't get to see them too often these days, a lot of them are coaches now and when Jamie said they needed us, I wasn't doing anything so it was an easy decision to come and play."

The Scots were delighted to receive such big-name support in their moment of crisis.

"I was delighted to get the call. It says a lot about his character that he wanted to join us," coach Ian Conway was quoted as saying.

Murray is due to play the Masters series events in Montreal and Cincinnati next month before the U.S. Open in New York, where he lost the final last year to Swiss world number one Federer.