Stephen Humphrys, who scored one of the goals of the year last season in the cinch Premiership for Hearts, netted for Wigan Athletic against the Jambos in a 3-0 win for the Lancashire side.
Charlie Hughes and Scott Smith scored the other two counters in the closed-doors, 120-minute encounter, played over four 30-minute periods.
And Steven Naismith, Hearts’ technical director, then told fans on Hearts TV that there could be “a couple” on new additions this week and injured players were on the way back.
Hearts started well, Alex Cochrane firing over the bar with three minutes gone and Alan Forrest tested Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle but the home side broke the deadlock after 20 minutes, Charlie Hughes poking the ball past Harry Stone.
The Latics doubled their lead eight minutes later, Scott Smith found Charlie Wyke who dummied for Humphrys who sent the ball into the far corner.
Hearts kept the home side at bay until 52 minutes but Callum McManaman playing a key role in the goal. He drove down the left and found the head of Scott Smith who did the rest.
Liam Boyce was denied by a great save by Ben Amos but Wigan claimed the shutout and the victory and Naismith said this was a 120-minute game and the squad have gone through a toughest week of pre-season training.
He added: “The players have worked really hard and came into the game slightly fatigued but they all got really good minutes.”
Naismith said the squad had been working at “stuff” and are becoming more confident and added: “Every game we have had pre-season we have been a threat.
“We have not had that last bit in the final third to get the goals we should have had but on the whole it has been really good work. We are in a good place.”
Hearts First 60 XI: Stone, Atkinson (Rathie 60’), Sibbick, Rowles (Neilson 60’), Cochrane, Wilson (Dall 60’), Baningime (Denholm 60’), Forrest (Smith 60’), Devlin (Haring 60’), Grant (Boyce 60’), Shankland
Hearts Second 60 XI: Stone (McFarlane 90’), Rathie, Sibbick (Flatman 90’), Neilson, Cochrane (Sandilands 90’), Haring, Denholm, Dall, Boyce, Smith, Shankland (Kirk 90’)
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