Published on 12:00 AM, April 21, 2017

Murray crashes out of Monte Carlo

Andy Murray of Britain hits a return during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 12, 2017. Photo: AFP

Andy Murray surrendered a 4-0 lead in the decisive third set on his way to defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday as the world number one's 2017 season hit another setback.

Murray suffered a shock third-round loss to Spain's 15th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 in more than two and a half hours.

Ramos-Vinolas toppled the Scottish top seed on his second match point to progress to the quarter-finals on the Monaco clay for the first time at the French Open warm-up event.