CAMERON NORRIE’S double fightback proved in vain as he went out of the French Open.
Norrie had taken his match against No 15 seed Lucas Pouille into a second day after recovering from stomach pain and narrowing a two-set deficit the previous evening.
The British No 3 came from a break behind and almost took Pouille into a fifth set but the Frenchman won a fourth-set tiebreak to run a 6-2 6-4 5-7 7-6 winner.
Resuming at two sets to one down, the British No 3 did his best to take the match to a decider.
After saving two break points in the seventh game, Norrie had a set point after finally creating an opportunity on the Pouille serve at 4-5 30-40.
But the Frenchman sent down a 211khm ace to snuff out the chance and then broke Norrie in the next game to earn the chance to serve for the match.
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Still Norrie kept on battling and had two break points, missing a straightforward forehand on the first and then facing another booming Pouille serve on the second.
A nervy Pouille volley brought up a third and this time Norrie took it to force a tiebreak.
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The Brit fought hard to the last, but was adjudged to have touched the net at 5-3 down and Pouille took the first of three match points to earn a third-round clash with Russia’s Karen Khachanov.
Kyle Edmund keeps the British flag flying in the men’s draw after he beat Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-0, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
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