Top seed Andy Roddick slumped to a 7-6, 2-6, 6-4 defeat by Frenchman Fabrice Santoro in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix on Wednesday.
The American, though, has already qualified for next month's season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai.
Frenchman Richard Gasquet boosted his bid to qualify for the Masters Cup with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over Belgian Christophe Rochus.
Fourth seed Gasquet, who won the Lyon title last year, blasted Rochus off the court with 23 aces.
Gasquet is 11th in the ATP Race standings, eight points behind eighth-placed German Tommy Haas who holds the last qualifying spot for the Masters Cup.
"I've had a lot of physical problems lately with my elbow and knee," Gasquet told reporters. "The court is also faster than last year which does not suit me.
"I now need to reach the semi-finals at least to score points in the [Masters Cup] race."
Next week's Masters Series event in Paris will be the last chance for Shanghai hopefuls.
Marc Gicquel of France, beaten by Gasquet in last year's final, beat German Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-3 in a second-round match.
