Andy Murray, despite his recent success at the Aix-en-Provence ATP Challenger, suffered a defeat in the first round of the Italian Open against Fabio Fognini.
Murray described the match as patchy, with both good and average moments, and acknowledged Fognini's strong performance in the third set.
Fognini, ranked 130th in the world, proved to be a challenging opponent for Murray on clay, benefitting from the support of the home crowd.
Murray struggled with timing while Fognini displayed excellent shotmaking, leading to Fognini winning the first set.
Murray improved his game in the second set, taking a 5-1 lead, but failed to close it out multiple times before eventually winning the set.
However, Murray faltered in the third set, starting with a poor service game that became a turning point in the match.
Murray's recent early losses and lack of success in Masters 1000 events and the French Open have been disappointing.
Murray is uncertain about participating in another tournament before the French Open or focusing on the grass-court season.
He plans to discuss and decide with his team in the coming days. Murray wanted to assess his game, physical condition, and performance in longer matches before making a definitive decision.
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