Aljaz Bedene has suffered a straight-sets defeat to Stephane Robert in the first round of the Rome Masters.

Both players had progressed through the qualifying stages at the Italian event and with Novak Djokovic awaiting the winner in the last 32, there was plenty at stake.

Bedene had prevailed from their one and only meeting on clay two years ago but he fell short on the big points against his French opponent as he lost out by a 7-6 7-6 scoreline.

With Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans having outperformed him so far during 2016, the 26-year-old faces a fight to keep hold of his tag of British number two during the spring and summer.