Aljaz Bedene became Britain's first casualty of the Australian Open after he lost in four sets to Dominican veteran Victor Estrella Burgos.
Estrella Burgos, who turns 37 later this year, is the fourth oldest singles player in the men's draw in Melbourne but he proved too strong for an inconsistent Bedene, winning 7-6 (9/7) 7-5 0-6 6-3.
It is the fifth time in a row Bedene has lost here in the opening round while world number 103 Estrella Burgos goes through to face Australian Bernard Tomic.
Progress represents another chapter in a fairy-tale story for Estrella Burgos, who became the first player from the Dominican Republic to break the top 100 in 2014 and the oldest from any country to win an ATP title at the 2015 Ecuador Open.
Despite a rasping forehand and decent serve, he should still have been a fairly kind draw for Bedene, who was placed inside the world's top 50 this time last year but has since fallen to 109th.
His drop in form coincided with the International Tennis Federation's decision in March to forbid him from playing for Britain in the Davis Cup. Bedene has lived in Britain for nine years but was born in Slovenia and played three dead rubbers for his previous country between 2010 and 2012.
Four trees shooting up through the single stand on Court Five offered some shade for spectators but there was no such comfort for the players, who had to endure temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius despite an 11am start local time at Melbourne Park.
Bedene looked to have the opening set wrapped up when he led by a break and 5-3, only for Estrella Burgos to save four set points en route to levelling at 6-6.
The Briton's forehand grew particularly erratic and when another fired wide, Estrella Burgos was able to nick a close tie-break 9-7 and take the opening set.
The second was tight again, this time Bedene fighting back from 4-1 to 4-4, but again it was Estrella Burgos who held his nerve as he broke at 6-5 to snatch a two-set lead.
On the brink, Bedene changed his tactics. Previously the enforcer, he became a battler, content to keep the ball in court and wait for his opponent to make a mistake.
It worked as Bedene's unforced error count dropped from 25 in the first set and 15 in the second, to just three in the third, and he won eight games in a row, including the third set 6-0.
Up a break in the fourth, however, the momentum swung again as Estrella Burgos broke once to level and then again to lead 5-3 after a looping forehand caught the line.
Bedene saved one match point with a rare rush to the net, and then a second, but t he third proved beyond him as a forehand drifted out to confirm defeat in three hours and 10 minutes.
Source: PA
