AFP, ROME: World number one Murray's Rome Masters title defence  ended worringly early as he was comfortably beaten 6-2, 6-4 by local favourite Fognini after a first-round bye on Tuesday.
Murray limped to another premature exit with flamboyant shotmaker Fognini bossing the Scottish top seed around at will and breaking him four times.
Murray succumbed to the Italian in just over 90 minutes and has major work to do before the start of Roland Garros in less than a fortnight.