Andy Murray crashes out of the US Open

Another potential Grand Slam title has gone begging for Britain's Andy Murray as the fourth seed crashed out of the US Open to Stanislas Wawrinka in four sets. "He played better than me," said Murray of the third round match against the 25th seed. "There's not a whole lot more to it. He had a chance to win the first set; didn't take it. I had a chance to win the second set; didn't take it. I just struggled from then on."

Behind Murray's matter-of-factness must lie bitter disappointment, shared by his many fans present in the Louis Armstrong stadium who also saw him lose to an unfancied player (Marin Cilic) in the fourth round of last year's competition. Going into the US Open the 23-year-old Scot had beaten Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal on his way to winning last month's Rogers Cup title in Canada, but it appeared those victories might have had a cumulative toll on Murray: "I was disappointed that I was struggling physically," he explained, adding wearily: "I tried to find a way to come back. Didn't quite do it."

In a match in which both players looked far from fit, it was the 25-year-old Wawrinka who seized the initial advantage, moving to a 5-2 lead in the first set thanks to six booming aces. Incredibly, the Swiss allowed Murray back into the match with three dropped games and Murray's greater experience counted in the tie-break that the Briton won 7-3.

But that was to be the high point of Murray's night as his form grew erratic and his temperament cracked at his sub-standard play. Both men broke each other's serve in the second set but the tie-break was won by Wawrinka 7-4.

The third set began to resemble a field hospital as both Murray and Wawrinka called for their trainers to treat thigh injuries with the latter benefiting most from his medical timeout. Rejuvenated after reappearing with his leg strapped, Wawrinka took control of the match by wrapping up the third set 6-3 and then breaking his opponent early in the fourth. With Murray clearly struggling to move freely around the court and playing from behind the baseline, the Swiss grabbed his opportunity and secured the fourth set 6-3. "I think all my game was pretty good, it was one of my best matches for sure," Wawrinka said later. "I was very aggressive. I was doing everything really good so I'm very happy... but I have the feeling he was a little bit injured, he was not feeling OK, so I was trying to stay aggressive and to make him run a lot and I think I did pretty well." ·