Alex de Minaur has cut a forlorn figure, down-and-out in Paris for a second-straight year, believing he's blown a "once-in-a-blue-moon" opportunity for grand slam glory at the French Open following the sensational exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.
Australia's "gutted" main man said he was back, clueless, to the drawing board, after his enduring dream was dynamited by rising Czech Jakub Mensik, who'd collapsed on court only two days earlier but who rose to crush 'Demon' 0-6 6-2 6-2 6-3 in the third round on another sun-baked day at Roland Garros.
Asked about world No.1 Sinner's exit on Friday, which was followed by Djokovic getting knocked out by teen prodigy Joao Fonseca on Saturday, de Minaur shrugged: "Look, I'd like to think that it wouldn't have affected me, but maybe it did. I really don't know right now.
