Loughborough tennis player Chris Egan-Morriss is confident he will bounce back after fatigue hampered his challenge in the first round of the 14-and-under boys' competition at the AEGON British Junior National Championships.
The 14-year-old lost in straight sets 3-6, 2-6 to eighth seed Josef Dodridge.
But he later revealed he had been unable to eat properly in the week leading up to the championships because of a mouth complaint.
But Egan-Morriss, a member of the AEGON Future Stars development squad, says there is still plenty more for him to aim for during the season.
He said: "I was mentally weak in the first set and then went a bit faint in the second, and he was just too consistent which is why he came out on top.
"I have not really being eating too much at the moment, which has not helped. I feel I would have had a chance here if I had been fully fit.
"I can't really take any positives from this match, but there is still plenty to be pleased about across the season, and plenty more to come I hope in the rest of the year."
Meanwhile, Katie Boulter, also from Loughborough, enjoyed an easy straight-sets first-round win in the same age group.
Boulter defeated Natalie Haden-Scott of Surrey 6-1, 6-1.
She said: "I did what I had to do and it's always good to get the first match of the tournament out of the way without too much trouble."
More than 400 of the best boys and girls in the country are competing across qualifying and main draws at the tournament, which runs until August 22 at both the West Hants Club in Bournemouth and the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.
The illustrious line of past winners including current British number ones, Andy Murray and Elena Baltacha.