In the first round of the US Open, Khachanov lost to British Daniel Evans with a score of 7:6 (8:6), 6:7 (2:7), 6:7 (4:7), 6:4, 4:6. The match lasted 5 hours 35 minutes. The Russian led 4-0 in the deciding set, but then lost six games in a row and, eventually, the entire match.
“I had one of the longest and most emotional matches of my career. Today I woke up feeling like I had been beaten with a bat. Although I tried not to show my fatigue, after five and a half hours of play in the fifth set I started to feel cramps all over my body. This is not an excuse, because the conditions were the same for both of us, and in the end it all came down to a psychological fight. I am very devastated and disappointed that I could not win. Professional sports require mental strength, but no one talks about mental fatigue, burnout, self-criticism and feelings of hopelessness,” Khachanov said.
“Please be respectful. Don’t punish someone when they are depressed. Even though it’s hard for me now, I’m not giving up!” “I believe I can overcome this, do the work that’s needed and come back on the field better than before,” he added.
Source: Sport
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
