Emma Raducanu's injury woes bedevilled her once again as the British number one retired from her second-round ASB Classic match with Viktoria Kuzmova due to an ankle injury.
The 20-year-old was forced to retire at 6-0 5-7 after rolling her ankle in Auckland, immediately sparking fears over her participation at the upcoming Australian Open.
Raducanu exploded out of the blocks at the start of Thursday's match, firing two aces on her way to a first-set bagel before Kuzmova came out fighting in the second.
The Slovakian qualifier saved two break points in the fourth game before breaking Raducanu's serve in the fifth, although Raducanu earned a break to love in the 10th game to level the scores.
However, Kuzmova broke once more in the 11th game before holding to love and forcing a deciding third set, but the trainer was called out onto the court to tend to Raducanu's ankle.
The former US Open champion left in tears as she was forced to retire, seeing Kuzmova advance to the quarter-finals, where she will meet Danka Kovinic.
The 2023 Australian open begins on January 16.
Ben Knapton
