Even in defeat, Australian teenager Alex Di Minaur savoured his French Open debut at Roland Garros.
"It's just a great feeling. This is what you start playing tennis for," Di Minaur said after his 6-2 6-3 6-1 first-round loss to veteran Dutchman Robin Haase.
"As a little kid, you just aspire to be playing these tournaments against these players and it's an unbelievable feeling playing these tournaments.
"At the moment, my goal to is to just keep playing these tournaments and keep playing these guys and my level will get up and hopefully I'll win more matches.
The 2016 junior Wimbledon runner-up is drawing the positives from his wildcard experience.
"What I've learnt is that I've got to be tougher, I've got to keep working and get fitter, get stronger," Di Minaur said.
"I'm happy with where my game's at, but obviously you've always got to improve.
"Especially today, I pretty much got hit off the court. Not a lot I can do when a big tall guy like him is feeling and hitting winners and just hitting me off the court.
"I gave it everything I could, but it was obviously not enough.
"But this is the level that I want to be playing at. The level is obviously very high.
"You've got these guys who play every point and often they just don't give you any cheap points.
"You're not going to find those cheap points. The points you win have got to be on your terms."
Already a Davis Cup orange boy, Di Minaur said it was an honour to once again have Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt in his corner on Sunday.
"He's been in every one of my practice sessions and every match I ever play he's there," he said.
"It's just great to have him out there and have his support."
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