Cameron Norrie confessed to feeling disappointed with himself after his performance collapsed in the final set of his Australian Open third-round exit against Alexander Zverev.
The British No 2 acknowledged that while he competed well for much of the contest, the closing stages left him with regrets.
"So it was a nice match. I played really well. I enjoyed 95 per cent of it. It was just that beginning of the fourth, though, feeling not so good about that," Norrie said.
The 30-year-old admitted his level "dropped off at the beginning of the fourth, for sure" and that the set "went very quickly" as Zverev took control.
Norrie fell to a 7-5 4-6 6-3 6-1 defeat against the third seed, extending his winless run against the German to seven matches at tour level.
The 26th seed's approach was clear from the outset as he looked to take the game to Zverev, stepping forward and attacking at every opportunity.
"I thought the level was really good. First three sets, very good," Norrie reflected, noting there was "constant pressure" from his opponent across all aspects of the game.
Cameron Norrie is staying upbeat despite his exit from the Australian Open
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He explained that Zverev excelled in every department, forcing him to take significant risks simply to stay competitive, but ultimately he could not maintain the intensity required against the former Melbourne Park finalist.
Norrie made a blistering start to the match, breaking Zverev's serve to love in just the second game.
However, the German, who contested his third Grand Slam final at Melbourne Park last year, responded immediately and secured another break at 6-5 through impressive returning.
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Five facts for tennis fans | GETTY/PAThe Briton refused to let his spirits drop, unsettling Zverev with clever drop shots and net approaches, and was rewarded when the third seed sent a tight forehand into the net on set point to level the match.
The equilibrium proved short-lived, however, as Norrie produced a weak service game at 1-1 in the third set, handing the initiative back to Zverev, who subsequently tightened his stranglehold on proceedings.
Norrie's departure means Britain has now suffered a first-week singles wipeout at consecutive Grand Slam tournaments.
Despite the setback, the 30-year-old expressed optimism about the months ahead.
"I'm looking forward to the year, and I want to keep going out there and playing matches like this where I can push myself and challenge these guys," he said.
Alexander Zverev is hoping to win the first Grand Slam title of his career at the Australian Open | GETTYNorrie dismissed suggestions that playing nine sets across his opening two rounds had taken a toll on his performance.
British tennis fans will be hoping for better fortunes at upcoming majors, with Jack Draper's anticipated return in next month's Davis Cup alongside Norrie offering some encouragement for the future.
Zverev, meanwhile, remains on course for the first major of his career.
He'll face 18th seed Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round, with that contest due to take place on Sunday.