Heather Watson has lost in straight sets to Angelique Kerber to bow out of the Monterrey Open at the quarter-final stage.
The British number three had been hoping to move closer to defending the title which she won in 2016, but it was a case of missed opportunities against the world number one.
Watson had eight break-point chances in total - including five in the first set - but she could not convert any of them and Kerber was more ruthless when openings came her way.
The left-hander struck once in each set to run out a 6-4 6-4 winner in just under 84 minutes.
Despite the defeat, Watson will reclaim the status of British number two when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday, while she also gained valuable ranking points as she looks to return to the world's top 100 ahead of the French Open.
Darren Plant
