Murray crashes out of Australian Open

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Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga proved too strong for the British number one as he powered his way to a 7-5 6-4 0-6 7-6 (7-5) first round victory.

The Scot failed to produce anything like his best form as a series of errors - the last of which was a loose forehand which cost him the match in a fourth-set tie-break - handed Tsonga the initiative.

Murray, who arrived at the competition heavily tipped to make an impression after winning the Qatar Open in Doha earlier this month, started slowly and lost the first set at the Rod Laver Arena.

The big-serving Frenchman used his principal weapon to devastating effect to move to 5-3 in the opening set, but Murray held his own serve to keep the pressure on Tsonga, and it eventually told as the 20-year-old broke back to take the score to 5-5.

Tsonga reclaimed the advantage immediately by breaking Murray's serve for the second time in the set and this time he held his nerve to win the set 7-5.

Murray failed to improve his fortunes at the start of the second set, losing his opening service game to immediately slip behind as Tsonga looked to build on his opening set win.

The Scot had a chance to pull himself back into the set with a break point in the eighth game, only for Tsonga to hold his nerve and maintain his cushion. Murray held his serve with ease to again put the pressure on Tsonga, but the Frenchman held firm to take the second set 6-4 and leave the Briton's hopes of success hanging by a thread.

He reacted strongly, though, finding a series of impressive winners as he broke three times in succession to claw his way back into the game with a 6-0 third-set win.

But after receiving treatment on a thigh injury Tsonga came back stronger. The tense set followed serve until Tsonga engineered a break in the ninth game but at 5-4 down the Scot held his nerve - while his opponent's faltered - to find a break of his own. When 5-5 became 6-6 a tie-break followed but once again a Murray mistake opened to door for Tsonga, who accepted one of two match points to progress.