Andy Murray crashes out of Monte Carlo Masters as French Open preparations take a hit

Andy Murray's Monte Carlo Masters campaign has been brought to an abrupt end after defeat to Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Murray made his first competitive appearance since returning from an elbow injury on Wednesday (19 April), seeing off Gilles Muller to book his place in the last 16.

But up against Spaniard Ramos-Vinolas, the 29-year-old looked some way short of his best form as he suffered a 2-6 6-2 7-5 defeat.

Ramos-Vinolas, ranked 24th in the ATP rankings, will meet Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals.

After each man took a set each, Murray endured a dreadful capitulation in the decider. Leading 4-0, the Briton looked in slight of clinching victory but would go onto lose seven of the last eight games to hand control to the Spaniard.

Murray suffered a shock second-round defeat to Vasek Pospisil at Indian Wells in March and would miss the Miami Masters and Great Britain's Davis Cup quarter-final clash with France as a result of a nagging elbow injury.

Murray went five weeks without playing competitively as a result of that injury which left him unable to practise his serve. He featured in an exhibition match against Roger Federer at the start of last week (10 April), coming through unscathed against the resurgent Swiss.