Andy Murray was dumped out of the Nature Valley International in straight sets by British rival Kyle Edmund on Wednesday.
Three-time grand slam champion Murray made his return from injury at Queen's Club last week and then won for the first time in almost a year at Eastbourne on Monday, seeing off Stan Wawrinka.
But he was no match for Edmund, who became his country's number one player in Murray's long injury absence and cruised to a 6-4 6-4 victory, his first win against the 31-year-old.
Murray has yet to confirm his participation in Wimbledon next week and now will not have another opportunity to play a competitive match before the major tournament begins.
Despite signs of encouragement since returning to action, five-set matches might well be beyond a player who struggled to live with Wimbledon's 22nd seed.
Edmund came out firing and secured a swift break with a couple of big returns, before saving four break points for a crucial hold in the next game.
Murray worked hard to ensure Edmund made no further progress, but he could not make up the ground lost early on and lost the first set without any further drama.
The former world number one initially found more joy in keeping Edmund at bay early in the second, yet the pressure eventually told and the breakthrough came in game five to tee up another comfortable set for the younger man.
Although another break put him in complete control as Murray volleyed wide, Edmund lost a service game for the first time as he sought to clinch the match.
But Murray, even with the gap now at a single break and some momentum belatedly behind him, could not draw level and Edmund steered a shot down the line to seal a straight-sets victory.
