Britain's hopes of medal in the Olympic tennis tournament are over after Andy and Jamie Murray were thrashed by the French pair of Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement in the second round of the men's doubles.

The brothers were outclassed as Llodra and Clement ran out 6-1, 6-3 winners in just 66 minutes on a sweltering evening in the Chinese capital.

The French duo, who won the Wimbledon mens' doubles title in 2007, looked every inch grand-slam winners at the Tennis Centre in Beijing's Olympic Park, breaking serve twice in each set to silence the British contingent among a 200-strong crowd.

Andy Murray had already saved two break points on his serve when Clement produced a brilliant lob to break Jamie Murray's serve for a 3-1 lead, and Andy's serve was then broken as well when the British No 1 dumped an easy overhead shot into the net.

Multimedia

• Simon Barnes in Beijing

• Bring back the tug-of-war

• Top 100 Olympic athletes of all time

Olympics updates direct to your mobile

Put the Beijing Games in your pocket

Phelps claims his place in history

The peerless American won his fifth gold medal of the Games and eleventh overall, making him the most successful Olympian

• The joy of Michael Phelps' epic demented journey

• Profile: Psychology and physiology make Michael Phelps a phenomenon

BACKGROUND

• Wiggins ‘not critical’ for pursuit success

• Tailored course did not suit eventing squads

• Pooley defies gravity to seize silver medal

• Why sex and softball is too much for China

Related Links

• Stunned Murray needs his brother's help

• Murray upset by world No 77

The first set lasted just 27 minutes and the writing was quickly on the wall in the second, the unseeded French duo breaking serve again as Llodra came up with a brilliant reaction volley at the net.

The misery was complete when Jamie double-faulted on match point to lose his serve to love, but at least Andy - sixth in the world following his debut Masters Series title in Cincinnati - can now concentrate on his US Open campaign later this month.