Alexei Popyrin has been unable to capitalise on a lucky loser spot in the ATP’s New York Open, falling to Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the first round.
Replacing American Bradley Klahn in the main draw, Australian teenager Popyrin spurned three chances to take the first set in a tiebreaker and never recovered in the 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 defeat in an hour and 22 minutes.
Australian fourth seed John Millman will be Garcia-Lopez’s next opponent in the round of 16.
In other first-round results, American Reilly Opelka upset fifth-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 while Taiwan’s Jason Jung and qualifier Christopher Eubanks also won through to the second round.