Daniil Medvedev was beaten in Geneva upon his return to ATP Tour.
World number two was beaten 6-2 7-6(5) by Frenchman Richard Gasquet.
It was Medvedev’s first outing in six weeks after recovering from a hernia operation.
The U.S. Open champion had been out of action after undergoing surgery following the Miami Open quarter-finals.
The campaign in Geneva was merely a tuneup for Daniil Medvedev ahead of the French Open.
But the 26-year-old looked rusty in his first match back.
Gasquet, in inspired form, never relented after early pressue as he outmaneuvered the Russian in the opening set before taking a 3-1 lead in the second.
The Russian found his rhythm after with his powerful forehand and serve helping him win the next three games on the bounce as he began to show signs of his pre-surgery form.
But the Frenchman managed to prevail 7-5 in the tiebreak.
The result earned the 35-year-old Gasquet his first win over a top-two player since 2005 and a place in the quarter-finals, where he will meet Kamil Majchrzak of Poland.
Medvedev, who reached the quarter-finals of the French Open for the first time last year, will head into this year’s tournament woefully short of match practice when the Grand Slam begins on Sunday.
Having lost the Australian Open final, being unable to play Wimbledon, and being short of practice for French Open, the US Open may be his best chance for another grand slam this year.
