If he came along at another time, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could have won more titles.
If his body didn't fail him so many times, the same could be true. So, it was with the cruellest stroke of irony that, as he looked set to deliver one final defiant performance, his shoulder fell apart and he finished his career in tears on the Paris clay.
The court Philippe Chatrier crowd gave him a standing ovation as the 37-year-old knelt on the red dirt after being unable to put up more of a fight because of shoulder pain.
That his 6-7 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 7-6 (7/0) first-round loss to eighth-seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud brought the heartbreak was oddly fitting.
The Frenchman, whose career had been hampered by multiple injuries in recent years, fought for almost four hours before bowing out in tears.
However, for part of the match, there were glimpses of the younger Tsonga, the man who beat all of tennis's big three when they were on top of the world, such was his talent that he knocked off Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer when each was world number one.
And against Ruud, heroics once again looked possible for the 2008 Australian Open runner-up, never mind that he hadn't won a match on clay in almost three years, is ranked 297 in the world, and was playing a clay court specialist.
The match started in front of a sparse crowd as most of the corporate seats were empty around lunch time, a recurring pattern at Roland Garros where the food often trumps tennis.
Tsonga held firm, delighting fans with some well-executed drop shots as he made the most of his opponent's early nerves.
The volume finally increased as the stands filled up after coffee time and Tsonga bagged the opening set following a tense tiebreak.
He saved break points in the fifth game of the second set but yielded under pressure in the tiebreak and it appeared he would bow out quickly after being overwhelmed in the third.
Backed by a buoyant crowd, however, Tsonga broke to love for 6-5 in the fourth, only for Ruud to level and force another tiebreak.
Tsonga had the physiotherapist on for a shoulder problem and he could barely roll his arm over in the tiebreak, pain etched on his face.
Once his ordeal ended, Tsonga, who won the 2017 Davis Cup with France, was greeted on court by all of his former coaches and his parents wearing a "Merci Jo" T-shirt, as well as his children.
His former Davis Cup teammates Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon, Gael Monfils and Benoit Paire also came onto the court to embrace him.
"It's great day for me. The day when I say goodbye to my long-time companion. I've never looked back but now is the time to do it," Tsonga told the crowd.
"Thanks to the French Tennis Federation and all my coaches who supported me even when I was extremely silly. I managed to be good amid the best generation of players and I'm happy about it"
Ruud, too, paid tribute to Tsonga.
"You have been an inspiration to me and many others," the 23-year-old said.
Tsonga retires having won 18 career titles, two at Masters 1000 level and lost the 2008 Australian Open final to Djokovic 4-6, 6-4,6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
De Minaur upset with fans after French Open exit
Alex de Minaur has hit out at the Paris fans who, he says, crossed a line amid a deafening bearpit atmosphere during his dramatic French Open exit on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Australia's number one was crestfallen that his tournament was derailed at the first hurdle by France's bright new hope, Hugo Gaston, in a classic four-hour, five-setter on Tuesday.
De Minaur had to deal with boos and jeers amid a cacophony of noise from the patriotic home support, whose songs and cheers for 21-year-old Gaston helped propel the Olympic youth champion to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 0-6, 7-6 (10/4) triumph.
He wasn't complaining about the "away Davis Cup match atmosphere" which he normally thrives on, but de Minaur was left clearly upset by the behaviour of some of the raucous crowd.
"There's a difference between a great atmosphere and supporting your fellow countryman, which is completely fine and it's great," said the Sydneysider.
"I'm sure for him it was an amazing atmosphere. He enjoyed every second of it, but there's a line …
Asked to elaborate, he said: "I'd rather not get into what was being said."
However, he was completely shattered by the loss after his best-ever clay-court season.
"Ideally, I will sleep tonight and forget all about it, but I have a feeling that won't be the case," he said.
"What I have got to do now is put this behind me. [That's] easier said than done, but I will do my best."
The exit of the 19th seed, Australia's top hope, leaves Jason Kubler as the only man left in the second-round draw, while the country's top two women — Ajla Tomljanovic and Daria Saville — have also made it past the first round.
ABC/Wires
