Davidovich Fokina said coach Mariano Puerta abandoned him midway through the French Open after quitting by text and flying to Miami. | Photo Credit: AFP

The coach who suddenly left Alejandro Davidovich Fokina during the French Open said he did so only after the player urged him to go.

Davidovich Fokina told reporters that Mariano Puerta left for Miami after the Spaniard’s first-round victory at Roland Garros, and expressed regret about hiring him.

Puerta, a former Roland Garros runner-up, responded in an interview with puntodebreak.com published on Friday that he had been frustrated with Davidovich Fokina’s emotional outbursts, but expected they would clear the air.

ALSO READ: Davidovich Fokina left without coach at French Open after Puerta quits by text

Instead, the Argentine said “a person from his team calls me: ‘Alex asks you to take care of your plane ticket, find it yourself and pay for it. You can go to Miami.’”

Puerta said he had also been feeling unwell during Davidovich Fokina’s first-round win. The 23rd-ranked Davidovich Fokina lost his second-round match to Thiago Agustin Tirante 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Puerta has been a controversial figure in tennis. As a player, the Argentine served bans in two separate doping cases. He retired in 2009.

Published on May 29, 2026