Andy Murray’s return to action in the Italian Open doubles alongside fellow Briton Liam Broady ended in a second-round defeat.
The pair lost 6-3 6-4 to Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Romania’s Horia Tecau, the eighth seeds.
Scot Murray, 33, was playing his second competitive match since early March following a groin injury.
He will be hoping he showed enough fitness and form to persuade French Open organisers to give him a wildcard.
Murray, who had been in the Italian capital to practise with some of the world’s leading players, is hoping to return to singles action in Lyon or Geneva next week.
Tournament organisers will decide next week whether to award him a wildcard into the main draw of the French Open, which starts on 30 May, but if they do not then the Scot will seek to come through qualifying for the clay-court Grand Slam.
Tournament director Guy Forget said on Wednesday that former world number one Murray “sure deserves” a wildcard.
