And then there were none: Evans’

British interest in the singles at the US Open ended with a disappointing defeat for Dan Evans in his delayed secondround match against 77th-ranked Frenchman Corentin Moutet.

The contest resumed yesterday after rain brought a premature end to play on Thursday with the pair tied at one set all and at the business end of the third set.

The British No 1 would have had hopes of reaching the second week but he followed Cameron Norrie out of the tournament on Court 5 with a 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-1) loss to 21-year-old Moutet.

Norrie, the only British singles player to reach the third round, lost 11 of the last 12 games in his four-set defeat by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

After a positive first two days, with four British men through to the second round in New York for the first time in nearly 50 years plus Johanna Konta, fortunes have swiftly changed.

Konta suffered a surprise loss to Sorana Cirstea on Thursday while Andy Murray and Kyle Edmund were also beaten in the second round.

The first part of this match on Thursday evening was full of inventive shot-making and no little angst from both men.

Evans dug himself out of a deep hole to win the opening set but Moutet, a talented junior who has begun to make waves at the top of the game, began to bully Evans with his forehand in the second and levelled matters.

Evans twice led by a break in the third but could not hold on to his advantage on either occasion and had saved two set points when the heavens opened.

Out but not down: Andy Murray is staying positive despite his second round exit.