Akira Santillan smashes five racquets after heartbreaking loss at Wimbledon qualifying

Akira Santillan smashes five racquets after blowing two match points in heartbreaking defeat.

Australian tennis player Akira Santillan smashed five racquets in an epic meltdown after his Wimbledon qualifying loss. Picture: Twitter/Ricky Dimon @Dimonator

Young Australian tennis star Akira Santillan has made an explosive exit from Wimbledon qualifying, obliterating five racquets after a heartbreaking defeat in London.

Santillan was inconsolable after blowing two match points in a 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 12-10 second-round qualifying loss to Belgian journeyman Ruben Bemelmans on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old, who has yet to make a grand slam main draw, was unable to contain his frustrations after the match.

After losing to Ruben Bemelmans 12-10 in the third, Akira Santillan walked to a secluded spot on the Roehampton field, took out all five of his rackets one by one, and destroyed all of them.

He left with a trail of destruction in his wake. pic.twitter.com/na6L2FkcXo

— Ricky Dimon (@Dimonator) June 26, 2019

Santillan walked to what he thought was a secluded spot on the Roehampton field, took out all five of his racquets out and destroyed them one by one. Unfortunately, the world No.215’s violent outburst was captured by a photographer, with Santillan’s trail of destruction captured and quickly posted on social media.

Had he won, Santillan would have been one victory away from a sought-after spot in the Wimbledon draw — and a guaranteed payday of at least $A82,000.

He has only collected $2600 all year, having missed the first three months of the 2018 season with a lower back injury.

Freelance journalist Jeff Horn posted video of the incident on Twitter, saying: “(Santillan) walked off court saying he should retire … feel for the guy.”

Absolutely gutted Akira Santillan...World No. 205 loses in 2nd Round of Wimbledon qualifying 12-10 in 3rd set...Has massive meltdown destroying all of his racquets...Walked off court saying he should retire...Feel for the guy #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/3YY6kS9f31

— John Horn (@SportsHorn) June 26, 2019

Fellow Aussie Nick Kyrgios went on to tell Horn that he would reach out to Santillan.

“As a fellow Aussie (Kyrgios) says he knows him (Santillan) well and knows he must be frustrated … said he might have done the same thing being in his position losing in qualifying after having match points,” Horn wrote.

Asked Nick Kyrgios' about Akira Santillan meltdown...As a fellow Aussie says he knows him well and knows he must be frustrated...Said he might have done the same thing being in his position losing in qualifying after having match points...Said he will reach out to him #Wimbledon

— John Horn (@SportsHorn) June 26, 2019

Meanwhile, another young Australian is one tantalising win away from fighting his way into the men’s draw.

Continuing his own breakout season, exciting teenage prospect Alexei Popyrin advanced to the final round of qualifying in London with a 6-1 3-6 6-1 victory over German Mats Moraing.

Alexei Popyrin hits a backhand during his Wimbledon qualifying victory over Mats Moraing. Picture: Getty Images

The 2017 French Open junior champion narrowly missed last month’s direct-entry cut-off mark but cracked the world’s top 100 this week for the first time, having reach the third round of this year’s Australian Open as a wildcard.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed of playing the main draw of Wimbledon,” Popyrin said.

“So obviously getting in the hard way through qualifying would be a great achievement for me.”

Popyrin hired 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash as a coaching consultant for the grass-court season, with the partnership reaping immediate rewards. The big-serving 19-year-old successfully qualified for the main draw in Stuttgart this month before losing in a third-set tie-breaker to Milos Raonic, a former finalist at the All England Club.

“I reckon Raonic is one of the best grass-court players we have in our game right now so it just gave me great confidence coming into this tournament,” Popyrin said.

“I hadn’t played on grass for three years so I didn’t know what to expect for myself but I’m starting to like it. I like all surfaces now.”

Andrew Harris joins Alexei Popyrin in the final round of Wimbledon qualifying with a win over Sergiy Stakhovsky. Picture: Getty Images

Popyrin, who plays American Bjorn Fratangelo on Thursday, is one of four Australians through to the final round of qualifying at Roehampton. Jason Kubler beat Slovakian Norbert Gombos 7-6 (7-5 7-6 (7-1) in his second- round match, while grand slam rookie Andrew Harris toppled Roger Federer’s one-time Wimbledon slayer Sergiy Stakhovsky 3-6 6-3 6-3 in one of the most significant wins of the 25-year-old’s career.

Arina Rodionova, Australia’s best performer at Wimbledon two years ago, advanced in the women’s event with a 6-2 6-4 win over Misaki Doi.

But Alex Bolt’s hopes of qualifying for tennis’s biggest event for the second straight year came to a shuddering halt.

Bolt, like Popyrin a third-round revelation at Melbourne Park in January, lost 6-4 6-2 to American Dennis Novak.

Priscilla Hon, Kaylah McPhee, James Duckworth, Marc Polmans and John-Patrick Smith also fell at the second qualifying hurdle overnight.

AAP