Kyle Edmund has crashed out of the Western & Southern Open when losing to Portugal's Joao Sousa in the first round.

With the US Open fast approaching, the British number two was hoping to perform well in Cincinnati, but instead it is another blow to his confidence ahead of the final grand slam tournament of 2017.

The 22-year-old was also beaten by David Ferrer in the opening round of the Canadian Masters in Montreal last week and now heads to Flushing Meadows not in the best of form.

Sousa broke twice to take the first set 6-3, but Edmund bounced to take the next 2-6, before his opponent, ranked 54 in the world, won the decider 6-3.

Edmund had made an encouraging start to his hard-court season, reaching the semi-finals in Atlanta and taking a set off Grigor Dimitrov at the Citi Open in Washington, but things have gone downhill since then following this latest defeat.