Big-serving Australian Chris Guccione's excellent adventure is over after he capitulated meekly to Austrian world No.40 Jurgen Melzer 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 in the second round of the Sydney International.

Guccione had ridden an early season high that resulted in his ranking jumping 46 places to a career-high 107th, making him Australia's second highest ranked man behind Lleyton Hewitt.

The 21-year-old Melburnian's run included wins over highly rated young Frenchman Richard Gasquet and former Australian Open finalist Arnaud Clement to reach the final of the Adelaide International last week.

He backed that up in Sydney when he got past world No.2 Rafael Nadal, who was forced to withdraw with injury when down 6-5 to Guccione.

But Guccione's attack weapon let him down as he landed only 55 per cent of first serves and struggled to dominate his service games.

Although he got the first break, Melzer took the crowd out of the equation in the first set by getting back to 4-4.

The Austrian took a 4-0 lead in the tiebreaker with a classy return from out wide before claiming the decider 7-3.

The Australian again got the first break in the second but, distracted by a set of new balls he didn't like, was broken in the fourth game.

Melzer broke again in the sixth when a wayward Guccione volley gave him the game.

Melzer won the final game to love, his returns and passing shots - which produced nine forehand and six backhand winners - having proved the perfect counter to the big Australian's serve/volley game.

Guccione admitted the lure of a top 100 ranking, a possibility if he had won, had been in the back of his mind.

"It would have been nice to win obviously, get a few more matches under my belt and a few more points," he said.

"I don't try to think about it. I know if I did win it would be a good shot, but it's not sort of something I think about out there."

He said he still had momentum heading into next week's first grand slam tournament.

"I think I can definitely build, it's one match and I didn't play really bad, just not as good as I have been.

"A few days practice, rest up a little bit and I'll be ready to go for the Aussie Open."

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