Tennis star Andy Murray has announced that he will be putting an end to his season following his defeat at the Shenzhen Open by Fernando Verdasco. Despite showing promise with two earlier wins in the tournament, Murray was unable to overcome the Spanish veteran, who secured a 6-4 6-4 victory in the quarter-finals.

Murray, a former world No 1, had been gearing up to compete in the China Open in Beijing next week, which was set to be his final event of the abbreviated season. However, a minor ankle injury prompted the Scot to make the decision to focus on his fitness and preparation for the Australian Open in January.

The defeat to Verdasco comes as a setback for Murray, who has been steadily working his way back from hip surgery earlier this year. Despite a notable win against David Goffin in the previous round, Murray was unable to match Verdasco’s performance, as the Spaniard unleashed 11 aces and 38 winners during their match.

In other news from the tournament, Australian youngster Alex de Minaur advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Damir Dzumhur, while Pierre-Hugues Herbert staged a comeback victory over Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The upcoming semi-final matchups promise to deliver exciting tennis action as the competition heats up.