The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word REMARRIED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
R
E
M
A
R
R
I
E
D
More clues leading to the result REMARRIED
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Back in a match after earlier loss" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case back in a match after earlier loss = remarried.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does REMARRIED mean?
REMARRIED noun- A person who has remarried.
- To marry a second or subsequent time.