Andy Murray admits he has never worked out how to adapt to the conditions at Indian Wells after his shock third-round exit at the BNP Paribas Open to world number 53 Federico Delbonis.

The Scot, who was playing his first ATP World Tour singles event since the Australian Open in January, was beaten 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7/3) by the Argentinian over a battle which lasted nearly three hours.

Murray led 4-1 in the final set, but never looked comfortable in windy conditions against an opponent who was peppering winners from the baseline.

Having only got beyond the last four of the tournament once - in 2009 - Murray says the venue has never been a favourite of his.

"I think it's just the conditions here I have just struggled with throughout my career," he told the competition's official website. "I have never really felt that I played my best tennis here,"

"I have tried and had many different preparations where I've got here early and spent a lot of time on the courts, and sometimes I arrive later, like this time from Davis Cup.

"Obviously it takes time to get used to new conditions regardless of where it is, but I have just never really found a way to get comfortable here throughout my career. It's a shame.

"I changed stringing my racquets like four or five pounds tighter than I was at the Davis Cup, which is significant.

"Really the tightest I have strung throughout the whole year would be at this event, and I still feel like I can't really go for my shots. I feel like when I do, I make mistakes. But even you look in the tie-break I missed a couple of backhands long, and then also a couple of balls in the bottom of the net.

"I really don't know. And like I said, I have tried many different things. It just never quite worked out for me here."