Andy Murray out of ATP World Tour Finals after straight-sets defeat by Stan Wawrinka 

• Andy Murray was eliminated from the ATP World Tour Finals in London
• The Brit suffered a 7-6, 6-4 defeat by Stan Wawrinka at the O2 Arena
• Wawrinka advanced from the group to face Roger Federer in the semis
• Murray will turn his attentions to the Davis Cup final against Belgium 

By Mike Dickson for the Daily Mail

Published: 17:08 EST, 20 November 2015 | Updated: 03:53 EST, 21 November 2015

Andy Murray has tried most things this week, from giving himself a DIY haircut to banishing his support box to the upper reaches of the O2 Arena.

Yet still a year of otherwise impressive consistency has seen him mostly fall short against the world's very best players, and that was the case again as he went out of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

In losing a lively encounter 7-6, 6-4 to Stan Wawrinka there is the consolation that he has emerged unscathed and gave himself a clean bill of health ahead of for the Davis Cup final in Belgium next week.

Andy Murray was eliminated from the ATP World Tour Finals as he lost to Stan Wawrinka on Friday

Murray cut a frustrated figure as he fell to a straight-sets defeat at the O2 Arena in London

Wawrinka followed up his victory over David Ferrer on Wednesday by beating the British No 1

The French Open champion celebrated after reaching the semi-finals at the O2 Arena

Strangely, he went back on to the court after the match for a late hit with Jonas Bjorkman, even though his only serious tennis left this year is on clay.

But then his timing was off, and what will need to be addressed in the longer term is this year's record against fellow top five members. It is left standing at 2-10, although fortunately none of those five are Belgian.

Novak Djokovic plays Rafael Nadal on Saturday afternoon and the evening sees a repeat of last year's semi-final, when Wawrinka was famously sledged from the courtside bench by Federer's wife Wawrinka.

The same area attracted attention on Friday after Murray's request that his support team – the likes of wife Kim and Bjorkman - sit up in the Gods in a corporate box out of sight. 

It was an unusual request which he explained afterwards: 'I just felt like sometimes when the box is extremely close to the court, I can find that a distraction,' he said. ' So I thought it would be better to have them sit a bit further away from the court.'

Murray criticised himself for making 'way too many errors', and felt that his timing had got worse the more the week went on. But he did not use the upcoming final in Ghent on clay as an excuse. 

Murray looked focused as he entered the arena for Friday night's tussle with Wawrinka

Murray will now turn his attentions to preparing for the Davis Cup final against Belgium

Murray's entourage watched from high up in the O2 Arena rather than from the player's box at courtside

Murray smashed his racket during the second set as his frustrations boiled over against Wawrinka

'I didn't find it difficult not thinking about the Davis Cup final, to be honest,' he said. 'Obviously the only positive for me this week is I've come away from it injury-free. Now I have a couple more days to get ready for Belgium.'

In the immediate context of this event it is another year at the O2 when he has not managed to perform to his potential. It is strange for a player of Murray's quality that in eight attempts at the year-end championships he has still never made the final.

He does seem to feel the pressure here more than at Wimbledon, with the trimming of his fringe on Wednesday and a late racket smash symptomatic of that.

He has still not locked up the world No 2 ranking for the season, which could theoretically be snatched from him by Roger Federer, were he to lift the trophy on Sunday.

Murray held a 4-2 lead in the first set tiebreak before losing five straight points to fall behind

Murray won his opening match against Ferrer, but lost his next two to Nadal and then Wawrinka

At 30 Wawrinka in his prime, although at least Murray did not have to contend with the Zurich-on-Thames feel to the venue that there sometimes is when his compatriot plays here.

What Murray was up against, however, was the unique power that the Swiss generates off both flanks, and Murray could never quite find the answer to that.

Bar the Swiss contingent the crowd were behind Murray and again he made a good start before fading, creating two break points, one of them by virtue of a staggering forehand pass.

Sky Sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher (left) and rugby player Danny Cipriani (right) watch the match

Tottenham star Christian Eriksen enjoyed a night out at the tennis watching Murray play Wawrinka

The atmosphere fizzed all night, but soon Wawrinka was making inroads on the Murray serve and he broke for 5-3, only for the 28-year-old Scot to fire back and wipe that out straightaway.

The Swiss was angry that someone shouted out on his first serve, and after the game flung his racket across the court at his chair. Murray looked in control of the tiebreak but strangely subsided from 4-2 with a flurry of errors, and was then broken immediately at the start of the second.

A late fightback from 2-5 was insufficient. Happily, whatever happens next week should ensure this does not stay long in the memory. 

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