Top seed Dan Evans was knocked out of the Sardegna Open after a three-set thriller against Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti.
The British No 1, given a bye to the last 16 in Cagliari, wasted four match points against the world No 90 before going down 6-1 1-6 7-6 (10-8) in a thriller.
“It was really tough. I was 3-6 down in the tie-break and he was playing good, always going to the net and always aggressive,” the 19-year-old Musetti told the official ATP website. “I tried to stay calm and tried to play each point. That is what I did and it worked, so I am really happy and really proud of myself with this win.”
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Evans looked out of sorts in the first set but hit back in style in the second.
He then led 6-3 in the third-set tie-break but Italian teenager Musetti saved four match points before winning a marathon encounter in a third-set tie-break.
Musetti, who is one win away from reaching his third ATP Tour semi-final, now has 12 tour-level victories with seven of those against Top 35 players.
“The secret for me is not to think about [their ranking], to just play them like other opponents,” Musetti said. “I try to play my game and try to play as good as I can. That is what I did. With them, I always play good. I don’t know why. I have no pressure and I feel free. I have no pressure to win and today was the same.”
Another Italian, Marco Cecchinato, bowed out 7-5 6-1 to Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.
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At the Andalucia Open in Marbella, Italian second seed Fabio Fognini crashed out in straight sets.
Fognini was hammered 6-2 6-1 by Spaniard Jaume Munar.
Veteran Feliciano Lopez lost the all-Spain clash against Carlos Alcaraz, 4-6 6-2 6-4.
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