Britain's grass season claimed its first ATP tour victims on Monday when seeds Julien Benneteau, Lee Hyung-Taik and Fernando Verdasco fell at Queen's.
On a muggy, overcast day the trio failed to find their grass range and balance after the long clay season. The tournament is the traditional warm-up event for Wimbledon starting on June 25.
Spaniard Verdasco, ranked 38th in the world and the 16th seed here, was out-hit by big Belarussian Max Mirnyi 6-3, 6-3.
He could not cope with the 1.96-metre Mirnyi's huge serve and looked baffled when the Belarussian's shots skidded through low on the pristine green surface at the west London club.
Mirnyi, who turns 30 next month and who has carved out a successful doubles career as well as reaching Wimbledon's fourth round three times, looked at home.
He opened his broad shoulders to serve an ace for the first point of the match and wrapped up the tie in just over an hour.
Benneteau, seeded 10 and ranked 61st, went out 7-5, 6-3 to Colombian Alejandro Falla, ranked 61 places lower. It was the fourth time on the trot that the 25-year-old Frenchman had been knocked out in the first round at Queen's.
Lee, the 13th seed lost 6-4, 6-4 to British number three Alex Bogdanovic.
The South Korean is ranked 70 places above wildcard Bogdanovic, who put his victory down to a good serve and attacking tactics.
Though spectators might have lamented the loss of British number one Andy Murray with a wrist injury, they were cheered at the prospect of a Briton getting as far as the third round after 20-year-old wildcard Jamie Baker beat Austrian Alexander Peya.
Top seed Rafael Nadal, the French Open champion, gets a couple of days' rest before stepping on to London's lawns.
He and the seven other leading seeds, including defending champion Lleyton Hewitt, who has won four Queen's titles, and three-times former winner Andy Roddick have been given byes into the second round.
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