British number one Cameron Norrie saw his eight-match winning streak halted by Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
Norrie’s excellent start to 2023 had seen him claim title success in Rio last month and make finals at Auckland and Buenos Aires.
The world number 12 also won this tournament 18 months ago but saw his run in California end in the last eight after US Open semi-finalist Tiafoe clinched a hard-fought 6-4 6-4 victory.
A cagey opener saw the score stay on serve until Tiafoe claimed a decisive break in the seventh service game and he took the first set in 53 minutes.
Breaks were traded at the beginning of the second but American Tiafoe appeared to take control when he moved 5-2 ahead.
Norrie, in trademark fashion, was not about to throw in the towel and broke back and forced his opponent to serve out for a place in the semi-finals.
Tiafoe made no mistake at the second time of asking to win the second meeting between the pair and progress without dropping a set so far.
