Andy Murray confident of brighter times ahead after finally snapping losing streak

Murray beat Alexandre Muller to kickstart his Qatar Open campaign and record a first win since October

Andy Murray triumphed in the first round of the Qatar Open (REUTERS)

Andy Murray snapped a six-match losing streak as he beat Alexandre Muller 6-1, 7-6 (5) in the first round of the Qatar Open.

The 36-year-old held his nerve in a tight second-set tiebreak to secure his first win since October 2023 and renew hopes of a late-career swansong.

Victory over the world No 75 seemed imperative if Murray was to continue to quell retirement talk and progress in a tournament in which he reached the final last year.

He eased into a 3-0 lead against the French qualifier and spurned two break points for a 4-0 advantage before a brief interruption as he sought treatment for an apparent knee injury.

Murray showed few ill effects as he completed a one-sided first set but Muller became more aggressive at the start of the second and sought to capitalise on his opponent’s restricted movement.

The Scot fought off a series of break points before grabbing a break of his own with his first opportunity in the seventh game, only to surrender his lead immediately and allow Muller to haul back level.

Muller held the advantage for much of the tiebreak and looked set to level the match when he led 5-3, but Murray dug deep to reel off four points in a row and seal victory and set up a second-round clash with big-serving Czech 18-year-old Jakub Mensik.

Murray said after his win: “The last few months have been tough on court for me. I’ve clearly not won many matches and lost a lot of close ones as well.

“I’m proud I managed to get through the match and get another win, happy for my team who have been working hard trying to find solutions. Hopefully this is the start of a better run.”