Arthur Fery’s hopes of making a splash on his US Open debut were ended in the first round after a straight-sets defeat by Lorenzo Musetti.
The 24-year-old had been riding on the crest of a wave since his historic run to the Wimbledon semi-finals as a wild card earlier this summer.
Fery reached his first ATP final in North Carolina last week and arrived in New York with high hopes of another deep run at a grand slam.
But he ran aground against Italian 13th seed Musetti in a comprehensive 6-3 6-3 7-5 loss on Grandstand Stadium.
Fery, now the British No1, was close to being seeded at Flushing Meadows, meaning he would have avoided a player of Musetti’s class in the early stages.
Nevertheless, he was matching Musetti blow for blow until a sloppy service game, topped by two double faults, cost him the opening set.
Fery pulled off some memorable comebacks on his historic Wimbledon run and he had chances to embark on another one.
At 4-2 behind in the second set he squandered four break points, throwing his arms up in frustration after the last of them dropped into the net.
Fery did secure a first break of the match at the start of the third when the usually immaculate Musetti backhand floated long.
When Musetti immediately brought up two break-back points, Fery saved the first with a superb forehand winner but then sent a backhand millimetres wide of the line.
Fery’s exertions at the Winston-Salem Open last week may have proved costly as he appeared to be lacking his usual energy by the third set as Musetti, himself a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, was gift-wrapped another break.
He showed his resilience by saving two match points but when Musetti thundered down an unreturnable serve on the third, Fery’s short journey was over.
