Bulgaria's top male tennis player Grigor Dimitrov was defeated in the first round of the men's doubles competition at the Indian Wells Masters tournament on Friday.

Dimitrov and his US partner Mardy Fish lost to the Spanish duo David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco with 3:6, 4:6.

The match lasted just over an hour with Ferrer and Verdasco being in the lead throughout the whole time, daily Dnevnik reports.

The Spaniards made a break in the first game and came in the lead with 2:0.

Dimitrov and Fish lowered the score to 1:2, but Ferrer and Verdasco maintained their lead before achieving another break in the ninth game and closing the first set with 6:3.

The Spaniards were again the first to win a break in the second set and came in the lead with 3:1.

This time Dimitrov and Fish managed to return the break immediately and equalised for 3:3.

Ferrer and Verdasco achieved their fourth break at 5:4 with which they won the set and the match.

Dimitrov has not yet started his participation in the men's singles, as he will begin directly from the second round.

The Bulgarian, who is seeded 11^th, will face Nick Kyrgios from Australia, who defeated Denis Kudla (USA) with 6:4, 7:5.

This will be the first encounter between Dimitrov and Kyrgios.