French Open 2020: Andy Lapthorne to take break from tennis for mental health
- Published
Andy Lapthorne has won the US Open quad singles twice
Britain's Andy Lapthorne says he will take a break from tennis because of mental health issues after finishing runner-up in the French Open men's quad singles.
The 29-year-old - a two-time US Open quad singles champion - lost 6-2 6-2 to Australia's Dylan Alcott.
Afterwards, he said it would be his "last match for a while".
"If I'm honest, it was really difficult to get out of bed this morning," Lapthorne added.
"To put myself in the position I did today. Going on to a big court under high pressure live on TV against probably the best player that's ever played in our division."
The three-time Paralympic medallist said he had been struggling for nearly a year with his mental health.
Speaking on World Mental Health Day, Lapthorne continued: "I've probably been a bit in denial as to what it actually is, what it was."
The nine-time Grand Slam quad doubles champion added that he had told himself "to man up and go on with it" but that he is now at a point "where it's becoming too difficult to do that".
Lapthorne said he hopes to return for the Australian Open at the start of 2021 but added that there are "no guarantees".
"I need to get right before I start coming out for these events again," he said.