France tennis star Benoit Paire has slammed Australian Open organisers, describing the tournament as 'shit' after his first-round elimination on Monday.
The 31-year-old lost in four sets to Belarus' Egor Gerasimov 6-2 2-6 7-6(5) 7-5, and struck an incredible 23 double faults during the defeat.
Paire was one of 72 players that were forced to quarantine for 14 days prior to the Australian Open after flying Down Under with at least one COVID-positive passenger on their plane.
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The world no.79 was frustrated with the differences in quarantine between players confined in Adelaide and where he was housed in Melbourne.
"I think it’s sh*t, and what happened is shameful," Paire told French publication L'Eqiupe.
"My level of play was good, I think my attitude was good. I hope I didn’t hurt my elbow too much. But otherwise, overall I’m very disappointed with this tournament.
"There was also a positive case on the flight to Adelaide, but there, we had time to take blood samples, etc.
"We were told to quarantine. Either we do the same things and the same rules for everyone. I do not understand why it’s not ‘fair’ for everyone. A truncated preparation, truncated matches. To me, this is scandalous.
"Afterwards, I’m very happy with my level, with what I was able to produce today. But this tournament, frankly, I think it’s really crap.
"This match, I could have won it if I had had one or two more training sessions, a normal preparation.
“I’m going to go back ... and finally enjoy the one thing that’s right here, being able to go out, have a drink, be outside.”
Paire hasn't been the only critic of the Australian Open's hotel quarantine program with women's star Paula Badosa claiming she was treated like a 'criminal' in hotel quarantine after testing positive to COVID-19 while in Melbourne.
"[Hotel quarantine] was a nightmare," Badosa said to Spanish publication El Pais.
"They treated me as if I were a criminal, they transferred me from one hotel to another escorted by police officers.
"How am I going to compete [at the Australian Open] against those who have been training daily, two or three hours for two weeks?"
