Shanghai Masters: Andy Murray loses to Roman Safiullin in first round

Britain’s Andy Murray suffered another early exit in the Chinese hard-court swing after losing to Roman Safiullin in the Shanghai Masters first round.

The Russian secured early breaks in each set, with 36-year-old Murray became increasingly frustrated.

It is Murray’s second consecutive first-round defeat after losing at the China Open last week.

Murray, who is ranked 40th in the world, lost to Australia’s Alex de Minaur in Beijing and, in the previous week, was knocked out in the second round of the Zhuhai Championships by Russia’s Aslan Karatsev.

In Beijing, Italy’s Jannik Sinner won the ATP title at the China Open by ending his losing run against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev.

World number three Medvedev had won all six of their previous matches, but 22-year-old Sinner – who beat Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals on Tuesday – ended the streak with a 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-2) victory.

Sinner will rise to a career-high of fourth in the world after securing his third title of the season.

“Daniil, thanks for letting me win at least one match,” Sinner joked afterwards.

“We have had some very tough battles, especially this year. Thanks for making me a much better player. I have been training a lot to beat you.”

While the men’s singles has now concluded in Beijing, the women’s event is still ongoing with a number of third-round matches being held on Wednesday.

Four-time major champion Iga Swiatek, who was replaced as world number one by Aryna Sabalenka at last month’s US Open, reached the quarter-finals with a 6-1 6-1 over fellow Polish player Magda Linette.

It was Swiatek’s 60th match win of the season, making her the first WTA player since Agnieszka Radwanska in 2013 to reach that tally.

American world number four Jessica Pegula was beaten 6-4 6-2 by Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, while Kazakh world number five Elena Rybakina fought back to beat Russian teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva 2-6 6-4 6-1.