Frustration: Andy Murray was brushed aside in a deciding set by Sebastian Korda in Gijon on Friday night
(Picture: Getty Images)Andy Murray was denied a place in the semi-finals at the inaugural Gijon Open after losing a decider against Sebastian Korda.
The former British No1 trailed 6-4 in Friday night’s last-eight clash in north-west Spain but came roaring back to take the second set 6-1 before losing the third by the same scoreline in a frustrating contest that lasted for two hours and 27 minutes, failing to follow up on his victories over Pedro Cachin and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Unseeded American Korda, ranked one spot ahead of Murray by the ATP at 47, will go on to meet Arthur Rinderknech in Saturday’s second semi, with the Frenchman having vanquished second seed Pablo Carreno Busta in an upset.
Top seed Andrey Rublev will first take on Dominic Thiem after their respective wins over Tommy Paul and fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo.
Murray - handed a wildcard for a tournament debut delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic - was broken by Korda in the third and seventh games of set one on Friday to fall 5-2 behind, subsequently breaking back in the eighth but unable to turn things around.
Murray then took the first five games of set two en route to drawing level - only to lose the first five of set three as Korda surged to victory.
The Scot has only played in two tournaments since his run to the third round of the US Open in September, losing both matches he took part in the Laver Cup in London, Roger Federer’s emotional farewell from tennis.
