Montreal: Andy Murray's Montreal Masters title defense came to a shock end on Tuesday when the world number four was swept aside 6-3, 6-1 in his opening match by South African Kevin Anderson.
It was a stunning failure by the Briton who has absolutely ruled over the Canadian hard courts the last two seasons, winning back-to-back titles while reaching the last four on two other occasions posting an 18-3 record.
Playing his first event since a semi-final loss to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, a lethargic Murray displayed plenty of rust and surprisingly little interest as the towering Anderson breezed to victory in just 69 minutes ending his two-year reign as champion.
Murray was at a loss to explain his miserable display having prepared in much the same way he has the past two years when he ended the week lifting the trophy.
"Sometimes you make mistakes with your preparation but I've done pretty similar stuff that I always do coming here," a mystified Murray told reporters. "It's just really a bad day.
"I'm not exactly sure why because it's normal to be a little bit nervous and not play your best when you haven't played in awhile.
"But I hoped to be playing better than that, especially the amount I have been practicing."
Under overcast skies it was far from a bright start for Murray, who double faulted twice during his first service game to hand Anderson the early break.
The 35th ranked South African, using his booming serve to great effect, had Murray on the run right from the beginning going up 3-0, losing just a single point along the way.
Anderson continued to pressure the Scot, never allowing him a break chance in the opening set to grab a 1-0 lead.
Murray found himself in an early hole again in the second set, when Anderson broke at the first opportunity to take control 2-0.
With the Briton increasingly flustered, Anderson moved in for the kill recording a second break to go up 4-1.
On his first match point, Anderson pounded a forehand winner that Murray did not even attempt to return and the fourth seed slumped off center court a straight sets loser.
"I just felt very slow, the game seemed to be going so fast," said Murray. "I couldn't get anything going.
"I started both sets really, really badly, which doesn't help against someone that serves like Kevin.
"I just felt half a step slow, I was getting behind early in all the rallies."
Murray was joined at the exit by Gilles Simon, the ninth seeded Frenchman going down 7-5, 6-2 to Germany's Philipp Petzschner.
It was smooth passage, however, for Simon's French compatriot Richard Gasquet who blasted his way into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 demolition of German Florian Mayer.
Michael Llodra upset 11th seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 to join his fellow Frenchman in the next round.
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