Andy Murray crashed out of the Australian Open in five sets today, going down 2-6 6-1 1-6 6-3 6-4 to 14th seed Fernando Verdasco in Melbourne.

The British number one, looking to reach the last eight in Melbourne for the first time, came into the match having not dropped a set but found the Spanish 14th seed in formidable form.

Verdasco had only dropped 12 games en route to his showdown with Murray - the fewest number of games conceded through the first three rounds of the Australian Open in the open era - and as he peppered the baseline and sidelines with winners and had Murray scampering around the court chasing drop shots and lobs it was easy to see why.

Murray had struggled with headaches and a sore throat prior to his third round match against Jurgen Melzer and seemed to still have been feeling the effects against the Spaniard, who was playing in the last 16 for the first time in Australia.

While he started with confidence that fell away in the second set as he was broken three times but he responded in fine fashion to take the third with relative ease before succumbing in the fourth as Verdasco forced it to a decider.

Murray, the world number four, has a good record against left-handers with the exception of Rafael Nadal, who he has lost to five times.

Now Verdasco's name can be added to the list after the 21-year-old Scot went walkabout in the second set, failed to find the breakthrough he wanted in the fourth and saw his hopes of a maiden grand slam title slip away in the fifth-set decider.

Murray had huge support in Hisense Arena and the crowd sang and chanted between the change of ends and cheered his every point.

In a bid to inspire their player a section of the crowd struck up a rendition of Flower of Scotland when Murray was 3-0 down in the fourth.

The British number one had never lost to Verdasco on five previous occasions and got off to a good start against the number 14 seed from Spain.

Verdasco held his opening service but Murray took the next three games, breaking the Spaniard with a superb passing shot before saving a break point on his own serve then sending down an ace for a 3-1 lead.

Verdasco held to bring it back to 3-2 and then pushed Murray all the way on his serve again.

But unforced errors by the Spaniard allowed Murray to hold and he broke Verdasco in the next game with a superb forehand winner down the line before saving another break point on the way to serving out the set.

The second set did not start well for Murray. He was broken in the second game when he fired a volley long and never really recovered as he slipped behind 3-0.

The fourth game was a mammoth affair. Murray saved five separate break points and spurned four chances to hold serve as a mixture of Verdasco winners and Murray's missed shots took the game to nine deuces.

Verdasco finally got the breakthrough with a smash to the back of the court and took a 4-0 lead when his cross-court pass was left by the Scot.

The Briton broke back immediately but then failed to hold his own serve and a backhand into the net handed Verdasco the second set.

It was Murray who gained the advantage at the start of the third set, racing out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a combination of his opponent's errors and a cross-court winner from himself.

Verdasco got on the board in the next game but got broken again in the sixth to give Murray the opportunity to serve for the set which he did for a 2-1 lead overall.

The momentum shifted again in the fourth set as Murray was broken early.

After conceding an open court winner to the Spaniard he berated himself with a few choice words and repeated the dose when Verdasco hit a great winner down the line on the way to taking a 3-0 lead.

A burst of Flower of Scotland seemed to have the desired effect with the 21-year-old firing down his fifth ace of the match and taking the game with a well weighted lob to claw back the deficit to 3-1.

But Verdasco came back strongly and took the fifth game but allowed Murray to close to 4-2 with a series of errors.

Verdasco saved a break point on his next service game to stay out in front and serving to stay in the set, Murray did so comfortably but could not get the vital breakthrough in the next game and Verdasco took it to force a fifth set decider.

A clearly drained Murray kept pace with his tormentor and at 3-2 and with Verdasco on serve, Murray gave his all looking for the breakthrough.

He failed to convert two break point chances but forced the 14th seed to play out six deuces as he harried and scrambled and retrieved for all his was worth but it was to no avail.

Having held for 3-3, Verdasco got the breakthrough and although Murray held serve to stay in the set a backhand into the net in the following game brought his hopes crashing down.