A gallant final-set fight back proved in vain as Lleyton Hewitt squandered a two-set lead against 15th-seeded local Gilles Simon to bow out of the French Open.
The 32-year-old Australian threatened to pull off a remarkable opening-round victory after fighting back to 5-5 from 5-0 down in the fifth and deciding set.
But Simon finally found a way to close out a 3-6 1-6 6-4 6-1 7-5 win to set up a second-round clash with either fellow Frenchman Adrian Mannarino or Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas on Wednesday.
Hewitt has made no secret of the fact his main focus is on Wimbledon next month and while he acknowledged it was a good hit-out, it was a tough loss to take.
Hewitt was troubled by toe blisters midway through the match, calling for treatment at the start of the final set, but he refused to blame the problem for his mid-match fadeout.
World No.86 Hewitt came into the match having never taken a set off Simon in three previous encounters, all on hard courts.
However he started strongly under overcast skies on Suzanne Lenglen Court and his determination was clear to see as he celebrated his first hold of serve with a customary first pump.
He produced some of his best tennis in some time over the next hour to race to a two-set lead.
Hewitt fought back from a break down in the third set but Simon took the ascendancy and it appeared he wasn’t going to look back.
Errors swamped Hewitt’s game as Simon steamrolled through the fourth, and then to within a game of victory in the fifth.
But rather than lie down Hewitt found something special, frustrating the Frenchman as he reeled off five straight games.