Murray knocked out in Dubai

(GETTY IMAGES)

World number four Andy Murray today crashed out of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships in the second round.

Murray, playing his first tournament since losing in the Australian Open final to Roger Federer, lost in three sets to Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic.

The 22-year-old Scot looked to have overcome losing the first set when he took the second to force a decider, but Tipsarevic raised his game to seal a 7-6 (7/3) 4-6 6-4 victory in two and a half hours.

Tipsarevic claimed an early break of serve in the first set but squandered the chance to serve it out, missing an easy smash to allow Murray to break back and level at 5-5.

Murray then hammered down three aces in the next game to seemingly signal a change in momentum, but world number 39 Tipsarevic commendably held serve to love to force a tie-break.

A superb forehand winner down the line then gave Tipsarevic four set points at 6-2 and an ace two points later - albeit one only confirmed by HawkEye - gave the 25-year-old the upper hand.

That at least served to spark Murray into life and a break of serve in the opening game of the second set was enough for the third seed to take it 6-4 and level the match.

But those expecting Murray to carry that momentum into the decider were in for a rude awakening as Tipsarevic claimed an early break and then saved five break points in an epic fifth game to lead 4-1.

After the first set it was perhaps no surprise that Tipsarevic was unable to serve out for the match, two woeful backhand errors helping Murray to reduce his arrears to 5-4.

However, Murray himself was broken in the next game and Tipsarevic sank to his knees in the middle of the court in celebration of one of the best wins of his career.