Cameron Norrie's run in the Barcelona Open main draw came to a swift end as he was eliminated from the ATP 500 tournament at the hands of Karen Khachanov in round one.
The former British number one battled his way through qualifying to earn a date with the Russian, whom he claimed the first set against courtesy of a tense tie-breaker.
However, Norrie failed to hold his nerve in the subsequent two sets and fell to a 7-6[3] 4-6 3-6 defeat in two hours and 18 minutes, thus suffering his fourth straight loss in top-level main draw matches.
After landing 73% of his first serves in the opening set, Norrie's percentage dipped the match wore on - 69% in the second and 59% in the third - and he was broken five times as Khachanov advanced to meet Spain's Jaume Munar in round two.
Great Britain are still alive in the Barcelona Open, though, as lucky loser Jacob Fearnley faces Alex de Minaur in his second-round match on Wednesday following his maiden main-draw clay win over Roberto Carballes Baena.
Sonay Kartal, Harriet Dart eliminated from Open de Rouen
© Imago
Norrie was not the only Brit to crash out on the clay on Tuesday, as Sonay Kartal and Harriet Dart both suffered straight-sets losses in the first round of the Open de Rouen in France.
Kartal - who recently helped Great Britain reach the Billie Jean King Cup Finals - was slain 3-6 2-6 by home favourite Varvara Gracheva, in a match where she was largely made to pay for wasted openings.
The world number 59 only managed to convert one of the seven break points she brought up, although Tuesday's loss was just her third in nine matches, having enjoyed a brilliant run to the Indian Wells last 16.
Meanwhile, Dart's woeful form continued as she was thrashed 0-6 3-6 by Lois Boisson, the world number 303 who entered the WTA 250 tournament as a wild card.
Dart did bring up seven break points on the Frenchwoman's serve, but she failed to convert any of them and also double-faulted four times as Boisson wrapped up the win in just 78 minutes.
Dart has now been beaten in seven straight matches (including doubles) in all tournaments since the 28-year-old's last victory, which came in Miami Open qualifying against Daria Saville.
Ben Knapton
