Qinwen Zheng lost her opening match at the French Open to qualifier Maja Chwalinska, falling 6-4 6-0 on Monday.
The former world No. 4 broke down in tears during her post-match press conference, citing tough conditions and a lack of space on Court 7.
What happened?
Qinwen Zheng's loss marked her first opening-round defeat at the French Open, where she won an Olympic gold medal less than two years ago.
The Chinese star struggled to find momentum after an elbow injury and surgery forced her out of competition.
She has dropped down the rankings in recent months and is now projected to fall outside of the top 100.
Why it matters for Qinwen Zheng
Qinwen Zheng's defeat is a significant setback for the 23-year-old, who will soon need wildcards to enter top tournaments.
She admitted that she didn't do enough from 4-4 in the first set, allowing Chwalinska to hold and break.
The weather conditions were also a challenge, with the heat affecting Qinwen Zheng's performance.
What comes next?
Qinwen Zheng will need to regroup and work harder to regain her form, having lost her last match on the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros.
She called the physio mid-match to re-tape a foot blister, but it was not enough to turn the match around.
Qinwen Zheng's next steps will be crucial in determining her future in the sport, with a long road to recovery ahead.
And she's hoping to find the positives as she starts from scratch, having lost her momentum after the injury.
But for now, Qinwen Zheng is left to pick up the pieces and try to move on from a tough loss.
So she took a deep breath and composed herself, explaining that she needs to accept the loss and learn from it.
The Olympic champion's emotions got the better of her, but she's determined to bounce back.
Qinwen Zheng's ranking has dropped significantly, from world No. 4 to No. 56, and she's facing an uphill battle to regain her spot.