Davidovich Fokina, the 21st seed in the men's singles at Roland Garros, exited in the second round after a 6-4, 6-7, 1-6, 3-6 loss to Thiago Agustin Tirante. This marked his 5th consecutive tournament without winning back-to-back matches.

However, the loss was not the most surprising event for the Spanish player. During his match against Tirante, Davidovich Fokina's coach, Puerta, was notably absent from the stands. French media initially speculated about a significant conflict between the two, even suggesting a physical altercation during practice, which they claimed led to Davidovich Fokina dismissing Puerta. The 26-year-old, however, strongly denied these reports.

Davidovich Fokina serves during his second-round match against Tirante at Roland Garros, on court 14, Paris, France on 27/5. Photo: Reuters

"After the match against Dzumhur in the first round, we even had lunch together", Davidovich Fokina stated during his post-match press conference following the loss to Tirante. "I then went to warm down and recover. He mentioned feeling unwell and returned to the hotel to rest. Everything seemed normal at that point."

Davidovich Fokina later disclosed the content of Puerta's text message: "Later that afternoon, about 2 or 3 hours later, I received a text message stating that he would no longer continue our collaboration. He didn't communicate this to anyone else on the team. He simply booked a flight to Miami and departed without a single word."

Davidovich Fokina admitted he was entirely bewildered by the turn of events. He asserted that they had not argued, nor had there been any indication of tension throughout their working relationship since early 2026.

"We had no conflict whatsoever. Even during the match, everything seemed normal", Davidovich Fokina further stated. "I truly don't know what to say about this; it's extremely peculiar. However, at this point, nothing surprises me anymore. I've experienced a great deal in my career, and this is simply another incident."

The Spanish player disclosed that Puerta had previously acted similarly with other athletes. According to reports from the Spanish press, Puerta even blocked Davidovich Fokina's and his wife's phone numbers before his departure.

Puerta is a familiar figure at Roland Garros. The former Argentine player reached the final in 2005, where he lost to Rafael Nadal. Following that tournament, he was embroiled in his second career doping scandal. Puerta initially received an 8-year ban, which was later reduced to 2 years. Prior to this, he had served a 9-month suspension in 2003 for a separate doping infraction.

Puerta (left) and Nadal in the Roland Garros 2005 final. Photo: RG