Jack Draper was in tears during a first-round comeback defeat by Térence Atmane at the Canadian Open.
The Briton was competing for the first time since pulling out of Wimbledon with a recurrence of a bruised bone in his left arm, and was beaten 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 in Montreal.
The 24-year-old was visibly upset during a changeover in the third set. His serve speed had significantly dropped, and he appeared concerned about his left arm.
He has a wildcard entry for the Cincinnati Open, beginning next week, but there will be doubts about his involvement after this defeat, as well as regarding his fitness for the US Open.
Draper pulled out of the DC Open in Washington last week, as well as missing Wimbledon.
He reached a career-high ranking of No 4 in the world last summer, but has been plagued by injuries since and has spent the better part of a year on the sidelines.
Draper’s fellow Briton Jacob Fearnley reached the second round in Montreal with a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Adrian Mannarino.
Meanwhile, world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Masters as he continues his recovery from a wrist injury that has sidelined him since April. The Spaniard had been slated to make his return in the tournament to prepare for the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, which starts on 30 August in New York.
