Crowd favourite Mardy Fish has ended his career with a first-round 6-2 3-6 6-1 5-7 3-6 defeat to Feliciano Lopez after suffering cramp at the US Open.
Games went by way of serve early in the first set, but Fish made the breakthrough as he claimed a double break, which was enough to take the lead in the Louis Armstrong Stadium.
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In the second set, Lopez, whose best finish at this tournament is the fourth round, was able to bounce back in the sixth game by sealing a crucial break point.
After drawing level on sets, Lopez failed to keep the momentum as he dropped his first service game, which gave Fish the edge.
The American, who has failed to progress past the quarter-final stage at this tournament, broke serve once again and won 86% of his first-serve points to ease his way to a 2-1 lead.
With the home crowd behind him, Fish broke for the first time of asking in the third set, but Lopez kept on his toes as he snatched serve to draw 2-2.
Fish eventually had the chance to serve for the match, but he suffered a third double fault to keep Lopez in the hunt, and the match was forced into a fifth and final set.
Both players held serve, but Fish began struggling with cramp in his left leg and the finish line was too far away from him as he suffered defeat.
Danielle Joynson
