James Ward has been knocked out of the Dubai Tennis Championships following a 6-1 7-6 defeat to Mikhail Youzhny in the second round.

The Brit, who overcame Teymuraz Gabashvili in his previous match, looked overwhelmed in the first set as he was brushed aside 1-6 by the Russian sixth seed.

Ward put up more resistance in the second, but his efforts appeared as though they were going to go unrewarded when he was broken in the closing stages of the set as Youzhny took a 6-5 lead. However, the 27-year-old rallied to break back, thus forcing a tie-breaker.

Neither player gave anything way during the early exchanges, but when Youzhny broke for a 4-3 advantage, he went on to win the set and match without dropping another point.

Youzhny will now meet either world number two Novak Djokovic or Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarter-finals.