Demoralised Alex de Minaur faces a fresh dilemma after a second consecutive early exit from the French Open, admitting he's flummoxed about the best way to try to bounce back from the latest setback.
Australia's main man departed Paris looking a bit lost and feeling he'd missed a "once-in-a-blue-moon" chance, not only to enjoy a rare deep run in the shock-littered men's draw but also to join the world's top-five for the first time in his career.
It was clear from his now familiar forlorn post-slam news conference that this kind of anti-climax is increasingly becoming almost too dispiriting a trial to take.
But whereas his second-round loss to Alexander Bublik in 2025 was so shattering that it at least left de Minaur in no doubt he must take a mental and physical break from the sport, the latest capitulation to Jakub Mensik has only put him in a quandary.
