British number one Cameron Norrie eased into the second round of the Rio Open on Tuesday, but Dan Evans suffered a first-round exit from the Qatar Open.
Norrie progressed past Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo 7-5 6-1 in one hour and 28 minutes, but Evans was put to the sword by Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori 5-7 4-6.
In a first set littered with double faults and unforced errors, Evans broke to love in the very first game before Ruusuvuori inflicted the same fate on the British number two straight away.
Hitting four aces as he gradually improved his first-serve percentage, Ruusuvuori broke to again in the eighth game for the chance to serve out the first set, but the pressure got to him, as Evans took advantage of two double faults to break back before holding for 5-5, saving a set point in the process.
However, Ruusuvuori brought up two timely winners to bring up a pair of set points in the 12th game, and a fourth double fault of the set from Evans clinched the first set for the Scandinavian.
An emotionally-charged Evans continued to struggle for opportunities against the 23-year-old, who went 40-0 up on the Evans serve in game eight, but the Briton saved all three break points to hold for 4-4.
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Evans's reprieve would not last long, though, as Russuvuori's powerful play proved too hot to handle in the 10th game, where he broke his opponent one last time to seal victory in one hour and 52 minutes.
Following his compatriot's defeat, Norrie fought back from a sticky start against Cerundolo, who broke in the third game of the match before Norrie broke back in the 10th game to stay in the first set.
The world number 13 - who lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Argentina Open at the weekend - capitalised on Cerundolo's errors to break again in the 12th game to take the first set, and the second would prove to be a far simpler affair.
Despite having to beat away three break points in the opening game, Norrie won five games in a row to seal his place in the second round, where he will meet Brazil's Thiago Monteiro.
Ben Knapton
