Roger Federer lost the first match of his comeback-proper on Tuesday, falling out of the Geneva Open on his first appearance in two months.

Federer was defeated 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the second round by Spanish clay-court expert Pablo Andujar, ending the 39-year-ambitions old's of putting together a run of matches ahead of the French Open, Wimbledon, and the Tokyo Olympics.

Federer resumed to the courts in March after being absent for more than a year because of two knee surgeries, winning his first match in Doha before dropping his second.

He had expected to find some rhythm on the Geneva clay, but he fell at the first obstacle.

Federer waved to the few handful masked fans strewn about the Eaux-Vives centre court, where admission was restricted owing to local coronavirus regulations.

Fans assembled outside the tennis club in the woods to catch a glimpse of Federer through the gate.

Federer appeared to be comfortable on the court, but it took him a while to find his stride, with just 40% during his first serves landing throughout the opening set, which he dropped by overhitting a second serve.

Federer broke for a 2-1 lead in the second set after winning his opening service game to love.

He started to show glimmers of his former brilliance, tossing in a few backhand drop shots here and there. He overshot his first set point but nailed the second.

Federer broke to take the second set 2-1, luring Andujar to the net and defeating him with a backhand passing shot.

Andujar broke back to tie the game at 4-4 and then held serve, forcing Federer to serve to remain in the game.

Andujar had two match points, but Federer brought it back to deuce before misfiring, handing his adversary the win.

Federer shook his head as he approached the net, while Andujar, 35, appeared as though he just can not believe what he had accomplished in what was surprisingly their first encounter, although the Spaniard turning professional in 2003.

In the quarterfinals, Andujar may face either Marton Fucsovics, the 2018 Geneva winner, or Swiss youngster Dominic Stricker, the 2020 French Open boys' champion.

Former world number one Serena Williams was knocked out of the WTA event in Parma on Tuesday, losing in straight sets 7-6, 6-2 to Czech Katerina Siniakova in the second round.

The 39-year-old American, who is positioned eighth in the world, was given a wild card to compete in Parma following her early exit from the Italian Open, where she also lost in the second session with what was her first match in nearly three months since losing in the Australian Open semi-finals.

She had easily defeated schoolgirl Lisa Pigato in the first round on Monday in Parma, however, the 25-year-old Siniakova, placed 68 in singles and yet a former world number one in doubles, was a more difficult opponent.

Williams had five aces but also seven double faults as she battled to get her service game to work.

Siniakova won the first set tiebreak on four points and then beat Williams three times in the second set to win the match in one hour and 37 minutes.

The Emilia-Romagna Open was designed to be a great clay warm-up for the French Open, which begins on May 30 in Paris.

Williams, a three-time Roland Garros champion, requires one more Grand Slam trophy to equal Australian great Margaret Court's record for 24 trophies.

Gael Monfils snapped a 15-month winless streak by defeating Brazilian fortunate loser Thiago Seyboth Wild 7-5, 6-4 in the Lyon Open.

After being hindered by injuries recently, the fifth-seeded Frenchman received a nice lift less than two weeks before the French Open commences in Paris.

Monfils, who quit from the Monte Carlo Open due to a calf injury and was defeated in the first round in Rome, got his clay-court season underway in Lyon. To advance to the second round, he struck seven aces and saved seven breakpoints.