• Murray loses in first and Evans in second Winston-Salem round • ‘Maybe I need play a level down to get some matches’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Andy Murray is considering dropping down a level to help his singles comeback after a first-round defeat at the Winston-Salem Open. The former world No 1 lost 7-6 (8), 7-5 to the American Tennys Sandgren in a promising display in his second singles match since career-saving hip surgery in January.

Murray has already confirmed he will not play in the US Open, which starts in New York next week, and will now ponder the possibility of playing games at Challenger level – one below the ATP Tour – to play more matches.

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Among several other tournaments it means he could play at the Murray Trophy – a new addition to the calendar, named after the Scot and his brother Jamie. It runs in Glasgow between 16 and 22 September, a week before Murray is due in Asia to resume his ATP Tour schedule. “I’m quite aware of where I’m at just now and what my level is,” he told the ATP Tour website. “It’s competitive at this level but it needs to be better. Maybe I need to play a level down to get some matches and build my game up a little bit before I start playing on the Tour again.”

Murray was much improved from his comeback defeat by Richard Gasquet in Cincinnati and felt no pain in his hip after a gruelling match.

“Some things were a bit better I think,” he said.

“I was hitting the ball a bit cleaner than I did in Cincinnati. I feel like I moved fairly well to some drop shots, which maybe last week I wasn’t running to. So there’s some good things but also some stuff I would like to do better. Physically I feel OK considering, no pain, no discomfort. Just a little bit more tired than usual.”

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Hundreds turned out to see him in North Carolina, with many staying after play was delayed for several hours owing to rain. There were some flashes of form from Murray, who accepted a wild card to the ATP 250 event, but Sandgren, the world No 73, proved too strong.

Dan Evans also exited, after receiving a bye into the second round, losing 6-3, 6-1 in a little over an hour against American Steve Johnson.

Britain’s Harriet Dart progressed to the second round of US Open qualifying after defeating Jamie Loeb 6-2, 7-6. Dart will now play another wild card – the 17-year-old Hailey Baptiste – in the next round.

Heather Watson, however, was defeated in straight sets by Mariam Bolkvadze. The 21-year-old Georgian beat Watson, eighth-seed, 6-4, 6-2 in 87 minutes.

Katie Swan also lost her qualifying match to the 15-year-old American Katrina Scott in straight sets. Swan needed a medical timeout during the 6-3, 6-3 defeat.

On the men’s side James Ward also progressed after beating China’s Li Zhe 7-6 (5), 6-3. He faces Argentinian Marco Turngelliti next.

Jay Clarke lost after winning the first set against American Mitchell Krueger 6-7 (2) 6-4 6-4.