British number one Cameron Norrie has fallen at the second hurdle of the Argentina Open owing to a shock defeat to world number 106 Federico Coria in the last 16.
Seeded second for the ATP 250 tournament thanks to his run to the 2023 final, where he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz, Norrie received a bye into the second round, where Coria awaited for their rematch from the 2020 US Open.
On that occasion, Norrie marched to a straight sets win over the Argentinian, but the world number 20 was left to rue a poor serving display as Coria prevailed 6-2 4-6 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals in front of the home crowd.
Norrie was punished for squandering four break points in Coria's opening service game, being broken twice himself and failing to muster up a response in the first set, and history would seemingly repeat itself for the Briton in the second.
Norrie wasted another two chances to break the Argentinian straight off the bat, but it would be seventh time lucky for the former Wimbledon semi-finalist, as Coria lost serve in the fifth game and was taken to a decider.
However, the writing was on the wall as Norrie fell 4-1 down in the third set, and despite managing to break back in the seventh, he lost serve again immediately afterwards and bowed out on a love hold for Coria.
Only 47% of Norrie's first serves found the mark against Coria, who saved seven of the nine break points he faced to reach the quarters, where compatriot Sebastian Baez or Italy's Luciano Darderi will await.
Ben Knapton
