Ramkumar Ramanathan went down in straight sets to defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday.
Ramanathan lost 4-6, 3-6 to the Spaniard at the Centre Court.
Agut will take on, in the round of 16, Nikoloz Basilashvili, who defeated Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-1 in the first round.
The defending champion is on track for a potential semi-final showdown against Roger Federer, who’s in pursuit of his 100th career title.
The former world No 1 beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in the first round.
Leander Paes and his partner Benoit Paire, meanwhile, defeated Indian duo of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan 6-2, 7-6 in the men’s doubles event.