Wawrinka suffers early defeat in Dubai

[February 28, 2017]    DUBAI (Reuters) - World number three Stan Wawrinka fell at the first hurdle in the Dubai Open on Tuesday, beaten 7-6(4) 6-3 by 77th-ranked Bosnian Damir Dzumhur.

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland returns a shot to Alessandro Giannessi of Italy (not pictured) on day four of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Picture Supplied by Action Images

"I was not good enough," Swiss Wawrinka, playing his first match since losing to Roger Federer in the Australian Open semi-finals, said. "I started well but it was a tough match. It was his day."

The 24-year-old Dzumhur, making his debut at the Dubai tournament, recovered from losing the first three games to outplay the second seed and three-times grand slam champion.

He will next play Spain's Marcel Granollers next.

Top seed and world number one Andy Murray returns to action for the first time since his early defeat in Australia when he faces Tunisia's Malek Jaziri later on Tuesday.

(Writing by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed osmond)

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