Andy Murray lost his opening match at Indian Wells in straight sets to Donald Young, the American qualifier.
The world No 5 lost 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, looking very rusty after his Australian Open defeat to Novak Djokovic in January. He has now lost his last seven sets.
“I started the match well but then when it got close I didn’t do anything to lift myself,” said Murray. “The crowd was for him and then he started to play better and I didn’t play my way back into the match.”
It marked the first victory over a top-10 opponent for Young, who has a 3-3 record this year.
“I am still thinking about it,” he said. “I’ve been in this position a couple of times with a few players and had not won the match.
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“I just told myself this time I was going to see it through and not let the nerves get the best of me.”
David Ferrer, the men’s sixth seed, also went out, losing to to unseeded Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, as did the defending champion Ivan Ljubicic, who was beaten by Juan Martin del Potro, continuing his comeback from a wrist injury to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Meanwhile, world No 1s Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki eased through on Centre Court, with Nadal beating Rik de Voest of South Africa 6-0, 6-2, and Wozniacki beating the American wildcard Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2.
Nadal, who helped Spain win its first round Davis Cup tie against Belgium last week, now has two career wins over de Voest but it has been eight years between matches. Nadal won their only previous meeting in 2003 at a Challenger event in France when he was just 16.
“I think there have been a lot of things changes, no?” Nadal said. “I am better player than in that moment. The worst thing is I am eight years older.”
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“It’s always nice to have a win and the first match is difficult,” Wozniacki said. “But I pulled through, so it’s nice.”