The American former world number one railed against the umpire and destroyed a racket in frustration as a match he seemed to have under control slipped away.
Andy Roddick's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals were hanging by a thread after the American lost 7-5 6-3 to rejuvenated Czech Tomas Berdych on Wednesday.
The American former world number one railed against the umpire and destroyed a racket in frustration as a match he seemed to have under control slipped away.
He will not be able to reach the semi-finals if Novak Djokovic beats world number one Rafael Nadal in the later Group A match.
Wimbledon runner-up Berdych, disappointing against Djokovic, saved two set points at 4-5 in the first set and that proved to be a pivotal moment as his confidence came flooding back.
"I don't think he came into the match with a lot of confidence. Being able to get through that first set definitely raised his confidence level and he played well in the second set," Roddick told reporters of an opponent who had won just eight matches since reaching the Wimbledon final in July.
Having survived the set points, Berdych, who is the only debutant at the year-ending showpiece, changed gear and he broke the Roddick serve in the following game, crunching a forehand return past the motionless American off a 110mph second serve.
Dropped serve
Berdych held serve to move a set ahead and Roddick was left smashing his racket against the sole of his shoe and crumpling it on the ground when he dropped serve again at 2-2 in the second, missing the sideline by a fraction with a smash after a superb defensive lob by Berdych.
World number eight Roddick, who was upset by a digital advertisement changing colour in the middle of a point, never regained his composure.
Serving at 3-5 he pulled a limp forehand into the net on match point to hand Berdych a morale-boosting win as he prepares for a re-run of his Wimbledon final against Nadal in his last group match on Friday.
"I'm happy after the first one to get back on the court and start to play my tennis again and feel good on the court," Berdych told reporters.
"That's what I need. I'm still in kind of chance to have it in my hands in the last match."
Djokovic would become the first player in the eight-man event to reach the semi-finals if he beat Nadal.
World number two Roger Federer leads Group B with two victories from Robin Soderling and Andy Murray, who both have one apiece. The top two places in that group will be decided on Thursday when Federer plays Soderling and Murray takes on Spain's David Ferrer.
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