Bernard Tomic found Tomas Berdych too strong in Stuttgart while Thanasi Kokkinakis, competing in 's-Hertogenbosch with a protected ranking, fell to Daniil Medvedev.
's Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, 16 June 2017 | AAP/tennis.com.au
The 21-year-old Australian, on the comeback trail after missing more than a year through abdominal and shoulder injuries, lost 6-3 7-6(3) to Daniil Medvedev of Russia on Thursday.
Kokkinakis claimed his first Tour win since August 2015 on Tuesday when he beat Medvedev’s countryman Mikhail Youzhny in the first round.
Top seed Marin Cilic survived a scare after dropping the opening set to Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic in a tiebreak.
The Croatian won 6-7(6) 6-2 6-4, while compatriot and third seed Ivo Karlovic had an easier route to the third round, disposing of Stefan Kozlov 6-4 6-1.
In Stuttgart, No.3 seed Tomas Berdych saw off the challenge of Australia’s Bernard Tomic.
After a tense first set, Berdych ran out a 7-6(4) 6-2 winner in one hour and 16 minutes to set up a quarterfinal match against Feliciano Lopez.
Ash Barty is the only Australian remaining in tour-level grasscourt action this week; the Queenslander takes on No.1 seed Johanna Konta in the quarterfinals in Nottingham on Friday.