Emma Raducanu is out of the Auckland Classic after falling to a 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 defeat by second seed Elina Svitolina in the second round.
The Briton, playing her second match since wrist and ankle surgeries, raced into a 5-1 lead in the first set before taking it in the tie-break.
Svitolina won the second after another tie-break and, with Raducanu tiring, took the third in just 31 minutes.
Next up for Raducanu is the Australian Open, which begins on 14 January.
The 2021 US Open champion was playing with fairly heavy strapping on her right thigh but went toe to toe with world number 25 Svitolina before fading after an intense first two sets that each lasted more than an hour.
While Raducanu's focus turns to the first Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne, Svitolina progresses to the Auckland quarter-final where she will play Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova.
Raducanu will receive direct entry into the main draw for the Australian Open following American Lauren Davis' withdrawal with a shoulder injury.