Andy Murray"s "training exercise" acknowledgment dismays Dubai Open Sport

Andy Murray stretches for a shot during his better to Janko Tipsarevic at the Dubai Open. Photograph: Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images

The sponsors of the Dubai Open have reacted with fright to Andy Murray"s idea that he treated with colour their contest as a small precision exercise.

"It"s unsatisfactory that it could be construed in a approach that indicates he wasn"t receiving the eventuality utterly as severely as he does," pronounced John Beddington, a Barclays consultant. "It"s as unsatisfactory for us as it is for Dubai Duty Free who work so tough and work the event."

Murray"s remarks came after his shock second-round better yesterday. With a $383,000 (£250,000) initial esteem available, and coming fees as big as $500,000 hackneyed at one of the majority renouned tournaments on the tour, Murray was firm to means exasperation by volunteering that what he had finished in matches was identical to what he would have been you do were he training.

Novak Djokovic was after asked either he regarded the Dubai Open as a time for practice. "It"s only the contest and people who come to watch you," the universe No2 said, though it was misleading either he was wakeful of the criticisms by Murray.

"You lift sure shortcoming when you are tip five, tip 10 in the world. You cannot only go out there and practise, you know."

Murray"s comments, that enclosed the explain that his character of fool around in Dubai would have been opposite had it been a grand impact event, might have been fuelled by churned emotions from his lost 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 loss to Janko Tipsarevic, the universe No38, in that Murray appeared to be introducing the some-more assertive elements others have been propelling on him for a little time.

They sounded similar to a reversion to the days prior to 2008, when the former Sun editor Stuart Higgins was allocated as Murray"s PR confidant and when the Scot, right away 22, continually non-stop his mouth and put his feet in it.

"Andy"s open persona has softened so most over the last eighteen months, in tandem with his dramatically softened tennis," pronounced Beddington. "It"s only hapless that remarks similar to these trip out. At slightest you know he"s being honest. Possibly a some-more experienced player would think this but wouldn"t contend it for fright it would harm the event."