The heart-wrenching moment French tennis player’s son rushes out to console him after defeat in the French Open… leaving him AND his opponent in floods of tears
- Nicolas Mahut was defeated in four sets by Leonardo Mayer on Friday
- The French star had never gone beyond the third round at Roland Garros
- The 37-year-old missed out again and was left in tears on court Simonne Mathieu
- But he was consoled by his son Natanel, leaving the crowd in floods of tears
Nicolas Mahut was left devastated after suffering a third-round defeat by Leonardo Mayer at Roland Garros on Friday.
The French veteran, ranked 252 in the world, saw his hopes of reaching the last-16 for the first time – and the chance of a clash with Roger Federer – slip away in a four-set defeat.
But luckily he had moral support in the form of his son Natanel to help him finish this year’s event in a ‘beautiful way’.
Nicolas Mahut had just suffered defeat to Leonardo Mayer in the French Open third round
Seeing his father upset, Mahut’s seven-year-old son Natanel ran onto the court to console him
Natanel had watched on from the stands as Mahut suffered a four-set loss to Leonardo Mayer
Natanel embraced his emotional father courtside, leaving the crowd and Mahut in tears
The seven-year-old left fans on court Simonne Mathieu, Mahut and even Argentine opponent Mayer in floods of tears after running on to the court console his emotional father.
Mahut struggled to keep back the tears after the loss and his son Natanel, sporting a white cap, noticed his father’s distress and ran up to him courtside.
Fans and Mayer, who himself began to tear up, gave the duo a standing ovation as they left the court.
‘I was really emotional to see him on the court,’ Mahut told the media afterwards, as quoted by tennisworldusa.
‘He comes on a win but also when I lose,’ said Mahut. ‘I have the comfort of my young boy. A lot of emotions. The tiredness of the match. My body was aching everywhere today. I finally, that match was over, and finally, he comes to comfort me.
Even opponent Mayer was seen tearing up as the emotional scenes overwhelmed the court
Natanel waited while his father tidied his bag before they left the court hand-in-hand
The veteran described his exit from the French Open as ending in the ‘most beautiful way’
‘Normally he’s the one who is crying, and I’m comforting him and today was the contrary. Very moving, indeed.
‘The crowd were incredible. Coming out of the court from a Roland court hasn’t happened so often to me in my career, and it’s something I will remember forever.
‘I tried to contain my tears, and to come out of the court holding my head high. I didn’t see that. That’s good if he was emotional, too. I’m happy about that. I don’t know if it was my last match in Roland, but if it were the case, I finished Roland Garros in a beautiful way.’
Mahut won the first set but was pegged back by two tie breakers to lose 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 6-7
Mayer went on to face Rodger Federer in the last 16, who defeated him easily in straight sets
Mahut won the French Open doubles title in 2019, completing a clean sweep of the Grand Slams with partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
But the 37-year-old has never managed to go beyond the third round in Paris in the singles event.
Despite taking the first set on Friday, Mayer hit back to win 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 6-7. The Argentine went on to face tennis great Federer, who defeated him comfortably in straight sets en route to this year’s semi-finals.
Mahut has enjoyed much greater success in the doubles, winning all four Grand Slam titles