British duo Dan Evans and Cameron Norrie were both dumped out of the Miami Open in the second round on Saturday.
Evans could not build on a fast start against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego, losing 6-4 3-6 2-6 to the 27-year-old, while Norrie suffered a shock 6-3 6-2 loss to Gregoire Barrere.
With early nerves perhaps getting the better of him, Sonego was left to rue a spate of unforced errors in the very first game, as Evans broke to love straight off the bat and maintained his two-game advantage henceforth.
The Briton wasted two chances to earn the double break in the fifth game, but a love hold in the 10th wrapped up the first set with just 43 minutes on the clock, and opening mistakes from Sonego in the second set nearly proved fatal again.
The Italian posted successive double faults in his first service game, but he came through that nervy exchange before breaking in the fourth, and Evans proceeded to miss three break points in the fifth as he fell 4-1 down.
Despite bringing up yet another double fault, the world number 59 kept Evans at arm's length to take the contest to a third set, and the Brit's fast start soon paled into insignificance.
Sonego quickly clinched the double break for a 4-0 lead - while also saving four break points in the second game - as Evans's failure to convert such opportunities diminished his chances of a late fightback.
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Needing to miraculously reverse a 5-1 deficit, Evans held to love before saving two match points in the eighth game to remain in with a shot, but Sonego confirmed his spot in round three with a sixth ace of the day.
Following Evans's loss, Norrie was expected to restore parity for the Brits against world number 65 Barrere, but the Wimbledon semi-finalist was surprisingly put to the sword in just 70 minutes.
Enjoying a streak of comfortable holds, Barrere broke Norrie's serve in the eighth game - taking his third of three opportunities to do so - and an ace sealed a love hold for the first set.
Struggling to deal with the Frenchman's flurry of aces and winning few points behind his second serve, Norrie was broken to love in the first game of the second set and had to save three break points to avoid falling 3-0 down.
However, an inspired Barrere was not quelled for long, and the 29-year-old earned the double break in the fifth game for a 4-1 lead to inch ever closer to a third-round berth.
Serving to stay in the contest in the seventh game, Norrie brought out the winners en masse for a love hold, but it was too little too late as Barrere deservedly advanced to round three.
Ben Knapton
