Great Britain duo Dom Inglot and Jamie Murray lose doubles
Kyle Edmund is poised to be thrown into Britain's Davis Cup first round against Spain on Sunday in the hope that another near miracle can be produced to overturn a 2-1 deficit.
The Australian Open semi-finalist will be allowed to make the decision whether to take up one of the berths in the reverse singles, as the overmatched visitors try to somehow manufacture two wins after a defeat in Saturday's doubles.
Dom Inglot and Jamie Murray failed to replicate the heroics of Cameron Norrie when they went down 6-4 6-4 7-6 to the Spanish duo of Feliciano Lopez and Pablo Carreno Busta amid the winter sunshine at the Puente Romano resort.
Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain celebrates his doubles win alongside Feliciano Lopez to leave Great Britain with it all to do in their Davis Cup tie in Marbella
Lopez (top) and Busta proved too strong for the British pair of Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot
Inglot returns the ball during Britain's straight sets defeat to Spain in Marbella on Saturday
Britain could throw in Kyle Edmund (top left) in an effort to turn around the tie on Sunday
If Edmund, who did not deem himself ready on Friday, does play then Captain Leon Smith has to decide whether to replace Norrie in the opening singles or, more likely, hold him back for a potential decider in place of Liam Broady.
The choice will not be made until the start of play this morning after a prolonged workout yesterday evening.
'I'm not going to throw him in if he's not wanting to play, that's not fair, but if he wants to play, clearly as good a player as he is, he'll get a shot,' said Smith. 'But I'm not sure in which match.
'Once he starts moving, he'll know what that feeling is. Most important is if he's happy to do it. It's his decision. He has been great around the team. You saw how much he was supporting the boys through the singles yesterday.
The travelling British fans show their support in Marbella but their team are 2-1 down in the tie
Murray (left) and Inglot in action during Saturday's doubles rubber in Marbella
'At the start of the week it was quite limited on the court. The last couple of days he has been much freer, moving around the court really well.'
Inglot's serve can be a potent weapon but it misfired too often in Saturday's opening two sets, with the hosts gratefully accepting nine double faults overall from their opposition. Inglot was broken twice, early on in each of the first two.
The Spaniards, notably pumped up before an 8,000 crowd which was much more animated than the opening day, always looked in control with world number ten singles player Carreno Busta predictably impressive with his groundstrokes.
Busta and Lopez celebrate victory as they put Spain 2-1 ahead entering the return singles
Britain will pin their hopes on Edmund in Sunday's singles matches to stay in the contest
On their least favourite surface Murray and Inglot did not always move in harmony together, getting their crosses at the net confused. The third set was tight, but they fell behind early in the tiebreak, which was conceded 7-4.
Reflecting on the doubles Smith said: 'The honest truth is that if you are going to cause an upset on a clay court you need both players paying their best tennis for a long period, and it didn't happen today.'