Max Purcell knocked out of French Open after failing with underarm serve on match point

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Australian tennis star and former Wimbledon doubles champion Max Purcell was knocked out of the French Open - after failing to win a match point using an underarm serve.

The No94 ranked male in the world was playing German qualifier Henri Squire and the match was an epic five-set encounter, not just going the distance but ending in a super tiebreaker.

After losing the first two sets, Purcell made a strong comeback and won the next two to force a decider - had already seen two chances to serve for the match go begging.

At 5-4 he lost four match points and then serving for the match once more at 6-5, he opted for the underarm serve to seal the deal - only for his opponent to react in time and go on to win the point himself, taking the game and - ultimately - a 12-10 victory in the super tiebreaker to win the final set 7-6.

Purcell showed no remorse or regret for his actions, despite seeing his week at Roland Garros cut short. He has only once been beyond the first round at the French Open, that being last year when he made the second.

“I do it a lot in practice, it’s worth going for it – absolutely,” Purcell said of his underarm attempt. “No regrets - hindsight’s a s**t thing, isn’t it? No just take the positives, learn from them - I hate living in the past.

“I’ll go practice tomorrow, then doubles the next day. The game keeps going, it’s fine.

“I’m proud of the way that I fought, I should have walked off with the spoils, but that’s tennis, it’s a s**t sport, you don’t always win when you’re winning.”

Purcell triumphed at Wimbledon in 2022 alongside doubles partner Matthew Ebden, that being his sole triumph at a grand slam event.