Rosco and Murray out of Montreal Masters
Practice partners fall to Coetzee and Melzer in Rogers Cup doubles
Andy Murray and Ross Hutchins let a one-set lead slip against alternate pair Jeff Coetzee and Jurgen Melzer, falling to a 3-6 6-3 10-7 in the first round of the Rogers Cup Masters 1000 doubles in Montreal.
For the third tournament in succession, Hutchins has faced a last-minute change of opponent, having faced alternate pairs with regular partner Stephen Huss in Indianapolis and Washington.
The British pair dominated on serve early on, racing to a 4-1 lead in the first set. Although Coetzee and Melzer found some form to stop the rot, Rosco and Murray comfortably served out to take a one set lead.
Roles were reversed in the second set, however, as Coetzee and Melzer opened up a 4-1 lead after consolidating their early play with more points won on second serve.
After 55 minutes the match was leveled at a set apiece. Neither pair seemed able to make a significant break during the first dozen points of the match tie-break before Melzer and Coetzee claimed three points to go 9-6 up.
The Austrian-South African pair held their nerve for a 10-7 win.
