Heather Watson’s Australian Open campaign ended with a first-round defeat by world number 54 Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.

The Briton, 25, had a set point to level the match in a tie-break but went down 7-5 7-6 (8-6).

Watson, ranked 68th, has now lost her opening match on five of her seven appearances in Melbourne.

It means Johanna Konta and Kyle Edmund are the only British players left in the singles draws after round one.

Earlier on Tuesday, ninth seed Konta beat American Madison Brengle 6-3 6-1 to progress.

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‘I left it all out there’ – Watson

Watson said before the match that she expected a tough battle against a “fiery” opponent, and so it proved.

She had her chances over the course of a gruelling two hours 16 minutes, and was urged on by a large British contingent on court 13.

However, she would end the match with roughly double the amount of errors (51) and winners (35) than her opponent, and loose shots at the wrong time cost her.

Watson told BBC Radio 5 live she was “extremely disappointed”, adding: “I left it all out there.

“I didn’t play my best but I said from start to finish, even if I don’t win a game from here, I’m going to play the way I want to play. The right way.

“Then, in my mind, that’s the best I could have done.

“It’s not always going to go your way, and you’re not always going to play well, but at least I did everything in my power that I was supposed to do and prepared right.”

After recovering an early break to lead 5-4 in the first set, a poor service game at 5-5 ultimately lost her the set.

With tensions rising and both players taking out their frustrations on their racquets, Watson found her best form of the match as she powered 4-1 clear in the second.

However, the steadier Putintseva clawed back the deficit and, after Watson swung a backhand wide on set point in the tie-break, her opponent capitalised to seal the win.

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