Greg Rusedski found a nine-month lay-off too much to overcome as he was dumped out of the French Open in the first round by 21-year-old Russian Nikolai Davydenko.
The British number two had not played since he was defeated by Pete Sampras in the US Open last September, having undergone surgery on an ankle and a knee as well as suffering a disc problem.
It had seen him contemplate retirement but, even though he was comprehensively beaten in straight sets 6-3 7-5 6-2, he showed enough signs of serve-and-volley aggression to suggest he should not be ruled out completely with the grass court season less than a fortnight away.
A lack of concentration at crucial times eventually cost him, particularly in the first set when he lost his service in the sixth and eighth games and again in the last game of the second set when a lame volley into the net handed the Russian the initiative.
The old gutsy Greg would have dug in but his serve seemed to lose its snap and the rhythm began to desert him - and the outcome was inevitable when he lost his serve at the start of the third set.
Davydenko's more consistent game proved too solid for a man who has always hated the red clay of Roland Garros.
PA