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Paris - Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios admitted that the death of his beloved grandfather made him fall out of love with tennis.
The 22-year-old, who tumbled out of the French Open on Thursday, losing 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to big-serving Kevin Anderson of South Africa, was on the brink of tears when asked to recall memories of Christos Kyrgios who passed away in April after a long battle with cancer.
The family tragedy forced Kyrgios to dash back home, cancelling the start of his claycourt season in Estoril before jetting pack to Europe in the build-up to Roland Garros.
"After my grandpa's passing, I just lost a lot of motivation to do anything really," said Kyrgios whose frustration boiled over as he slid to defeat, smashing a racquet on a courtside chair and picking up a penalty point for his troubles.
When he was asked to talk about his relationship with his grandfather Kyrgios was on the verge of tears and called a swift halt to his press conference.
"It was tough back home. I can't talk about it, I can't," he said.
Meanwhile, Kyrgios brushed off his spectacular racquet demolition, insisting that was part of the whole package - like it or not.
"I don't know if that's the best role model you want," he said.
"But I'm not trying to show anybody my frustration. I just do it for myself. I've been doing it my whole career. It's just a habit now."
Anderson, meanwhile, said he was able to take advantage of Kyrgios's meltdown to record his second win in two meetings with the Australian, having also come back from a set down to win in Chengdu, China last year.
"I was in his head after winning that second set," admitted Anderson.
"He was struggling with his own battles, I didn't give him a way to get back in the match. So it's something that I knew I needed to do, and I thought I was able to execute that very well today."
Anderson, ranked at 56 in the world, made the most of the 18th-seeded Australian's 42 unforced errors to progress to the third round where he will face Britain's Kyle Edmund.
Anderson has gone as far as the fourth round in Paris in 2013 and 2014.
"I feel like each week I'm playing better and better tennis," said the South African.
"My body feels really strong and healthy, which is the biggest focus."
French Open results on Thursday, the fifth day of the 2017 tournament at Roland Garros (x denotes seeding):
Men
Second round
Andy Murray (GBR x1) bt Martin Klizan (SVK) 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x29) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 6-3, 3-6, 1-1 -- retired
John Isner (USA x21) bt Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2)
Karen Khachanov (RUS) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE x13) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Pablo Cuevas (URU x22) bt Nicolas Kicker (ARG) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Hyeon Chung (KOR) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-1, 7-5, 6-1
Kei Nishikori (JPN x8) bt Jerrmy Chardy (FRA) 6-3, 6-0, 7-6 (7/5)
Stan Wawrinka (SUI x3) bt Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5
Fabio Fognini (ITA x28) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
Richard Gasquet (FRA x24) bt Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) 6-1, 6-0, 6-4
Gael Monfils (FRA x15) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-1, 6-4, 6-1
Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Renzo Olivo (ARG) 7-5, 6-3, 6-1
Kevin Anderson (RSA) bt Nick Kyrgios (AUS x18) 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt David Ferrer (ESP x30) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
Marin Cilic (CRO x7) bt Konstantin Kravchuk (RUS) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Women
Second round
Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Magda Linette (POL) bt Ana Konjuh (CRO x29) 6-0, 7-5
Anastasija Sevastova (LAT x17) bt Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-3, 6-0
Petra Martic (CRO) bt Madison Keys (USA x12) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
Elena Vesnina (RUS x14) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x21) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 7-5, 6-4
Daria Kasatkina (RUS x26) bt Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 7-6 (7/1), 6-4
Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Tatjana Maria (GER) 6-4, 6-3
Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) bt Taylor Townsend (USA) 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
Caroline Garcia (FRA x28) bt Chloe Paquet (FRA) 7-5, 6-4
Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Barbora Strycova (CZE x20) 6-4, 6-1
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x9) bt Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3
Veronica Cepede (PAR) bt Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x16) 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-4
Mariana Duque (COL) bt Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 1-6, 6-3, 8-6
Carina Witthoeft (GER) bt Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) bt Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
