• Rogers Cup

Murray suffers US Open prep blow with Tsonga loss

Andy Murray's exit was error-strewn © Getty Images

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Andy Murray is out of the Rogers Cup after he became the latest high profile name to fall victim to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Canada.

Frenchman Tsonga downed the British No.1 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4 to reach the last four in Toronto. The 13th seed beat world No.1 and Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic on Thursday to set up a clash with Murray.

"I thought it was a high-level match with a few games by both of us in the second and third sets that were a bit scrappy," Murray said. "Jo is a top player. He's a fantastic athlete. When his game is on, he's very tough to beat."

Murray received a walkover into the quarter-final after scheduled opponent Richard Gasquet withdrew through injury, but the Scot suffered a frustrating exit at the hands of Tsonga.

His opponent claimed a tight first set on the tie-break but Murray hit back with a fantastic break-to-love in the ninth game of the second. However, the eighth seed let slip a 3-0 lead in the third and deciding set as Tsonga secured only his second victory in 11 meetings between the two.

Despite defending three match points, Murray handed his opponent the advantage in the final game after he again failed to convert with Tsonga seemingly beaten - a recurring theme throughout the clash.

It proved the pivotal difference as Tsonga did not waste his next chance to become the first player of this year's event to book a semi-final place.

Defeat means Murray has still not won a title since his 2013 Wimbledon triumph and leaves only has one tournament - the Cincinnati Open - in preparation to the upcoming US Open.

Tsonga will now play Grigor Dimitrov, who survived two match points before beating Kevin Anderson 5-7 7-5 7-6(8) in just shy of three hours on centre court.

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