Delray Beach, USA, 27 February 2013 | tennis.com.au

Matt Ebden has been eliminated from the ATP 250 event in Delray Beach, straight-setted by American wildcard Jack Sock.

Later in the day, Ebden’s compatriot Marinko Matosevic went down in an epic encounter against Japan’s Go Soeda.

Ebden was beaten 6-3 6-3 by the 20-year-old in one hour and 14 minutes, with Sock moving into a second round match-up against Ricardas Berankis.

The Western Australian was unlucky to draw the rampaging Sock, who last week in Memphis had upended second seed Milos Raonic in the opening round on his way to the quarterfinals.

Sock was the superior player on serve on Tuesday, serving seven aces to five and limiting his double faults to four (Ebden dished up nine).

The young American from Nebraska also won a higher percentage of points behind both his first and second serves, and saved all five break points he faced.

Meanwhile, Matosevic appeared to be cruising when he claimed the opening set with ease, but Soeda clawed his way back into the contest, eventually running out a 2-6 6-4 7-6(6) winner in two hours and 25 minutes.

Matosevic will rue his missed opportunities – the Victorian had 11 break points throughout the contest, yet could convert only two.

The 39th-ranked Matosevic kick-started his career at the Florida event this time last year, reaching the final as a qualifier and going on to crack the top 50 after beginning 2012 outside the top 200.