Murray's "experiment" will be overlooked

Murray was criticised for trying out new tactics and different shot-making during a surprise second round defeat to Janko Tipsarevic.

Andy Murray will be welcomed back at next year's Dubai Open despite being widely criticised for appearing to use the big money tournament as a training experiment.

The world No.3 has been given a reassurance by the tournament owners, Dubai Duty Free, even though title sponsors Barclays have indicated displeasure at the Scot's post-defeat comments.

Murray was also criticised by media after volunteering that he had been trying out new tactics and different shot-making during a surprise second round defeat to Janko Tipsarevic, the world No.39.

"The stuff that I was doing in the matches here are similar to what I'd be doing if I was training this week," admitted Murray, who is believed to have received about 400,000 dollars in appearance money to compete in a tournament with a 2million dollars prize fund.

"I'd be playing practice sets and working on serve-and-volley and coming forward, you know and taking more risks," he said, adding that "the objective is to work on things and try things out, and if they don't work, then they don't work."

But Barclays are not happy that Murray should have articulated publicly something which other players before appear to have attempted and got away with.

"Andy's public persona has improved so much over the last 18 months, in tandem with his dramatically improved tennis, but it's just unfortunate that remarks like these slip out," said Barclays consultant John Beddington.

"At least you know he's being honest. But possibly a more experienced player would think it, but wouldn't say it, for fear it would hurt the event."

Despite this, the tournament organisers have made it clear they don't want to lose Murray, who has been on the verge of winning a Grand Slam title for 18 months.

"From the tournament's view of Andy's on court performance, he looked to be making every effort to play his best tennis, as was evident by the very close scoreline," Colm McLoughlin, managing director of Dubai Duty Free, tournament owners and organisers, said.

"We look forward to welcoming Andy back at the Championships next year."

Privately however the tournament is said to be displeased, making it the second ATP World Tour event in two weeks to have been upset by the 22-year-old.

The week before last, Jean-Francois Caujolle expressed his disappointment that Murray, who had had a two-week break since reaching the final of the Australian Open, left it to the last moment before withdrawing from the Open de Marseilles.