MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Donald Young wouldn't call it a setback, but his glum face and petulant reaction to his Australian Open exit told a different story.
The former American phenom seemed to be starting to fulfill his potential in the second half of last season when he reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open and made his first ATP final, putting him in the top 50 for the first time.
He came crashing back to earth Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 loss to qualifier Lukas Lacko in the second round. He had beaten the Slovakian in straight sets at the U.S. Open to begin his best Grand Slam run.
Walking into a postmatch news conference, Young angrily chucked his shoes and bag in the corner of the room and slumped into a chair.
When asked what happened on the court, the 22-year-old testily replied: ``He won the match. It's quite obvious.''
``It's very disappointing actually but ... it's over now, not much I can do about it. It's definitely not how I hoped it to end.''
The dispiriting loss came just as things seemed to be starting to come together.
Young, who turned pro when he was 14, has had an up-and-down relationship with the United States Tennis Association. It hit a low in April last year when he used an expletive-laced tweet to blast the decision to make him compete in a playoff for a French Open wild card.
At the U.S. Open, he was full of contrition, saying he felt a light had been turned on. After the tournament, he even began working with a USTA coach - but he is now back to being coached by his parents.
On a breezy day at Melbourne Park on Wednesday, they sat wrapped in towels as their increasingly frustrated son stumbled to defeat.
``Let's go man. Every point,'' his father, Donald Sr., shouted as Young walked out at 5-3 down in the fourth set. He lost the game to love.
CURTAIN CALL: Former world No. 2 Tommy Haas realizes that his lengthy career may be coming to a close.
The 33-year-old German, who has slumped to No. 190 in the rankings, lost to Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 Wednesday in the second round of the Australian Open.
Haas is on the rebound after missing more than a year on tour due to hip and elbow surgeries. But since returning at the French Open last year, he's struggled to regain his form, winning just seven matches in 2011.
Under the ATP's protected ranking system, Haas has been able to enter the main draws of ATP tournaments for a short period using his ranking from the date of his injury.
But the time is running out on the exception, and Haas says that might mean the end of his career.
``It becomes tricky where you have to play qualifying and maybe go back and play some challengers. I'm not sure if I'm up for the task of doing that,'' he said.
At the same time, when I play at certain moments like I did today, you know, I feel like I can definitely still play with some of the big guys and maybe still have some success,'' he added.That's the challenge that I have to ask myself, if I'm still willing to do that after so many injuries, after being on the road now for 15 years.''
Haas is a four-time Grand Slam semifinalist, the last time coming at Wimbledon in 2009 before his first surgery.
DAY OFF: Roger Federer pulled out of the Qatar Open with a sore back two weeks ago. On Wednesday, he got a free pass into the third round of the Australian Open when his scheduled opponent withdrew with a similar ailment.
Surprising. I didn't know anything about it,'' the four-time Australian Open winner said of Andreas Beck's lower back strain.He said he had a lot painkillers and pain during the last match.
``Now I'll just take it easy this afternoon and come out tomorrow and hit intensely, and then I'll be ready for the next match.''
Beck said he was practicing and ``made a wrong step.''
I couldn't serve, so I think it doesn't make sense to play, especially now against Roger,'' he said.For me, it's the best decision. It's the beginning of the season and I have to be careful.''
The second-round match had been scheduled for Melbourne Park's second court, Hisense Arena. It would have marked the first time since 2004 - a span of 52 matches - that Federer had played somewhere besides 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena.
I knew it's been a long time since I've been on there ... but at Wimbledon and at the French we always go at the second court,'' Federer said.I wasn't disappointed to hear that I was going to play there.''
Federer will play Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in the third round on Friday.
Associated Press writer Justin Bergman contributed to this report.