Frenchman Gael Monfils broke down in tears after losing in five sets to Finnish youngster Emil Ruusuvuori on Monday.
“I would like to get out of this nightmare but I can’t,” Monfils, the 10th seed, said.
“I feel judged. I’m already on the ground, you’re shooting at (…) me. It hurts … You can see that I can’t do it. I train and it doesn’t pass. When the guy’s down, don’t shoot him.”
Prior to the loss, Monfils hadn’t gone out in the first round of the Australian Open since 2006.
Monfils was in good form before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but has now extended his losing run to seven matches.
