Daria Saville is contemplating her future in tennis after suffering heartbreak for the second straight grand slam in a despairing first-round exit from the US Open in New York.
The crestfallen Australian No.1 pulverised her racquet into pieces after falling 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6) to Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara in a three-hour, 16-minute rollercoaster of emotions at Flushing Meadows.
Saville looked set to post her first win in almost two months after fighting back from a set down to be leading 2-0, 30-0 in the decider.
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But she lost her way after narrowly missing a backhand and allowing Shibahara back on serve in the marathon third set.
Berating herself at seemingly every error, Saville did well to hold for 6-5 after a 16-minute service game as the see-sawing encounter inevitably moved into a first-to-10 match tiebreaker.
Alas, a double-fault from from Saville on match point proved the breaking point for the temperamental former junior world No.1.
Saville smashed her racquet five times into the court in disgust and frustration, no doubt mentally haunted by a similarly soul-destroying Wimbledon second-round loss last month.
On that occasion, Saville blew a 6-2 5-1 lead against Marta Kostyuk — and hasn’t won since, while also battling a painful bout of plantar fasciitis in her foot.
The 30-year-old conceded she only played the US Open for the guaranteed $US100,000 first-round loser’s cheque.
“That is the truth. Where else will I make money? I lose money anywhere else if I bring a coach,” Saville said.
“Mentally, it was tough because I felt that I didn’t even deserve it because I didn’t put in the work.
“It is just a cycle. I have had it before when I was playing injured and it is just a horrible cycle. (I’m thinking), ‘Do I even want to do this any more?’.
“I’m really negative right now. I don’t know how I will feel tomorrow and probably I won’t feel that way in a few days, but it is not fun playing injured.”
Slated to drop to No.97 in the world rankings, Saville must quickly pick up the pieces from her latest setback in order to stay in the top 100 and secure direct entry to the Australian Open in January.
The feisty baseliner hopes to play the Asian swing but is making no promises.
“I will regroup maybe,” Saville said.
“But sometimes I maybe feel like I don’t even want to do this thing anymore.”
