Andy Murray beaten in Rotterdam as Felix Auger-Aliassime victory sets up quarter-final against Cameron Norrie | Tennis News

Andy Murray beaten in straight sets by world No 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime; Murray smashes racket during defeat and exits tournament he won in 2009; Auger-Aliassime faces another Briton, Cameron Norrie, in quarter-finals

Andy Murray suffered a straight sets defeat to Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime at the Rotterdam Open

Andy Murray suffered defeat at the round of 16 stage in the Rotterdam Open on Thursday, losing 6-3 6-4 to Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who will now face Britain’s Cameron Norrie.

Murray beat the dangerous Alexander Bublik in his opening match, but he has had difficulty stringing a run of wins together since his hip operation three years ago and found the 21-year-old world No 9 too powerful.

The three-time grand slam winner did not manage to force a single break point in their only previous meeting, a straight-sets defeat at the 2020 US Open.

He righted that wrong by breaking in the fifth game of the first set, but Auger-Aliassime had already won the previous four games.

The Scot, who won this tournament in 2009, clawed a break back early in the second but smashed his racket in frustration as he immediately dropped serve again to trail 3-2.

There was a bizarre moment on match point when Murray’s cap flew off, causing him to stop playing as Auger-Aliassime hit a winner.

He was afforded a let, but Auger-Aliassime duly went on to convert a second match point for a 6-3 6-4 win and a meeting with Great Britain’s Norrie in Friday’s quarter-final.