Dan Evans pulled out of the US Open despite illness and a hip injury, saying: “I don't care if it's 6-0, 6-0.”
Britain's No. 5 played the longest match in US Open history in the first round.
And this grueling fight ended for him with a battle with Alex De Minaur.
He took a pill on court and needed treatment during the third set, eventually losing 6-3 6-7 6-0 6-0. Some of the crowd began to boo as Evans was clearly struggling but refused to quit.
Evans, 34, has retired only six times in 894 matches in his long career. And he insisted: “I wasn't tempted to quit. I think it was a matter of respect. I was relatively good in the third set.”
“It was quite funny that they started booing me when the irony was that I was there for them. And of course I respect Alex. I don't think you should withdraw from a Grand Slam.
“You finish the match. That's just the way I am. And that's how I was brought up. You stay until the end and shake hands. And he actually said, 'Thank you for staying there, respect.' And that's not why I do it. But people come and pay, and some are happy and some are not.
“After the second set, the score was 6-0, 6-0. But by the way, I personally didn't care, no matter what they said about six sets. I stayed there and fought until the last ball.”