It wasn't to be: Andy Murray after Australian Open loss

Andy Murray, Mischa Zverev

Andy Murray

Melbourne: Andy Murray offered no excuses after losing to world number 50 Mischa Zverev and crashing out of the Australian Open.

Murray had been heavy favourite to clinch a first Melbourne title following the early exit of Novak Djokovic but Zverev produced a volleying masterclass on Rod Laver Arena to seal a 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory. Zverev won a staggering 65 points at the net and served and volleyed 119 times. He also broke Murray on eight separate occasions.

Mischa Zverev

'I was not flat'
Asked if he felt flat, Murray said: "I don't think I was flat. I feel like that's something I get asked all the time when I lose matches. Were you flat? I don't think I was today.

"I was getting myself pumped up. Sometimes at the end of the sets I was trying to get a little more energy and show more positive body language. And I did that at the end of the match and at the end of the first and second sets. It just wasn't to be today," he said.

Murray's superb form at the end of last year meant he endured a hectic end to 2016 as he made five tournament finals in a row. He then reached the last hurdle in Doha earlier this month, before losing to Djokovic, but the British number one does not believe he has suffered from fatigue.

Schedule doesn't bother Andy
"Obviously the off-season for me was fairly short just because I had to take a decent break after the Tour Finals," Murray said.

Zverev is the first player outside the top 40 to beat Murray at a grand slam since the US Open 10 years ago, and his lowest-ranked conqueror since losing here to Juan Ignacio Chela in 2006. "I'm obviously down about it. It's just tennis. I had great success for a number of months. Obviously, in the biggest events you want to do your best, but that's not been the case here. It happens. I've had tough losses in my career in the past. I've come back from them. This is a tough one. I'm sure I'll come back okay from it," he said.