Murray crashes to defeat in Paris

(GETTY IMAGES)

Andy Murray's winning streak came to an end today when he was beaten in straight sets by in-form defending champion David Nalbandian in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters.

The Scot ran out of gas after 14 straight victories, which took in tournament successes at the Madrid Masters and the St Petersburg Open, as he was dumped out 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 by the Argentinian, the eighth seed in the French capital.

Murray's bid to become the first player to win three successive Masters Series events fell short but he will be the first to admit he was beaten by the better man.

This was a huge step up from Murray's first two matches in Paris, straight-sets wins over Sam Querrey and Fernando Verdasco.

Nalbandian is a self-confessed lover of indoor tournaments, winning the title here in stunning fashion last year, and he always seemed to hold the whip hand in the first set.

He was the first to break, in the fourth game, but Murray responded in the very next game by claiming the first of his two break points when his opponent sent a forehand wide.

Murray, the fourth seed, had to save five break points in his next two service games as Nalbandian piled on the pressure but he had found some poise by the time the tie-break came around.

Murray quickly slipped 4-1 down, though, and although he saved one set point, Nalbandian was spot on with a forehand winner to take it 7-3.

It was only the second set that Murray had dropped in 14 matches, the other coming against Roger Federer in the semi-final of the Madrid Masters.

It hit him hard and he was broken in his first service game of the second set when his weak backhand found the net.

The Briton was up against it but he again responded, restoring parity in the fourth game when he came up with an amazing diagonal winner on the stretch on the second of his break points.

It looked as if he had turned the corner but Nalbandian stepped up a gear, sending Murray all over the court and again breaking at the second time of asking to go 3-2 up.

The two players went on to trade breaks but Nalbandian's third break of the set, in the ninth game, secured him a semi-final date with either Rafael Nadal or Nikolay Davydenko.