Stefanos Tsitsipas has opened up about the ‘difficult’ decision to withdraw from the French Open mixed doubles with his girlfriend Paula Badosa.

The world No 9 had made no secret of his excitement about the prospect, saying: 'Paris holds a special place for me and Paula, that’s where he had our first date right before Roland-Garros last year.

‘Getting to combine love and tennis is quite exceptional.’

But the terrible weather during the first week of the tournament played havoc with the doubles schedule and Tsitsipas faced the prospect of playing his men’s doubles with brother Petros and his mixed both on Monday, followed by a blockbuster men’s quarter final against Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday night.

And on Monday morning, it was announced that Badosa and Tsitsipas had withdrawn from their first-round match.

‘I’m still bummed out about it,’ said Tsitsipas when asked by Mail Sport about his reasons for pulling out. ‘I have to blame the weather in Paris because it has been an absolute disaster in terms of organisation.

‘I really didn’t expect that I would have to play two doubles in a single day, especially the day before a big match like the quarter-final that I get to play tomorrow. It’s a little bit too much for anyone and taking the decision to pull out of one of the draws was a good decision.

‘I’m happy that Paula understood, in fact she was the first person to suggest it a few days ago but I was still convinced that I can manage it and be OK to play in mixed doubles.

‘It was difficult but at the end of the day it’s not a career you make in mixed doubles, it’s not something you pursue on a weekly basis. So I don’t think we should be too sad about it because in years to come were going to have the opportunity to do that again and to play countless times in big slams like this by each other’s side.’

That next opportunity comes at Wimbledon, and it would be a big surprise to not see ‘Tsitsidosa’ teaming up at SW19.

The fact that Badosa initially suggested it might be wiser to pull out saved Tsitsipas from the knotty problem of having to choose between letting down his brother or his girlfriend.

But in truth there is far more riding on his men’s doubles, because Petros is on the cusp of qualifying for the Olympics, and being about to play with his brother back here in Paris next month. Their second-round win yesterday put Petros on the brink of qualification for the Games.