Kiwi hopes have taken another hit at the ASB Classic, with doubles stars Artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell both handed defeats in their respective matches.
With compatriot Michael Venus and partner Raven Klaasen having already advanced to the tournament semi-finals with a win over the pair of Guido Pella (Argentina) and Joao Sousa (Portugal), Sitak and American Austrin Krajicek could have joined the Kiwi in an attempt to progress to the final.
However, Sitak and Krajicek fell in a thrilling encounter to the legendary Bryan brothers of the USA, losing 7-6, 2-6, 10-2.
"It was fun," Krajicek said afterwards.
"The reason why we play is to play matches like that against teams like the Bryans, probably the best team ever.
"So it was fun to be out there, we had a good chance to win that. We got unlucky in the third, but they really stepped it up when it counted. But that's tennis and we'll be ready to fight with them next time."
On the other side of the draw, Daniell and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands also fell at the semi-final stage, going down in straight sets to the duo of Ben McLachlan (Japan) and Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany).
Venus now remains as the sole Kiwi representative in the doubles draw, with he and Klaasen to meet the Bryan brothers in the tournament semi-finals.
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