MEDVEDEVKNOCKEDOUTOFFRENCH OPEN BY 172ND-RANKED THIAGO WILD
WORLD NO. 2’S OPENING ROUND STRUGGLES CONTINUE AT ROLAND GARROS
World No 2 Daniil Medvedev was knocked out of the French Open in the first round yesterday, losing in five sets to 172nd-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil.
Seyboth Wild, who came through the qualifiers and had never previously won a Grand Slam match, triumphed 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
It was Medvedev’s fifth loss in the opening round at Roland Garros in seven appearances.
“I have watched Daniil play in my junior years. It’s a dream come true to beat these kinds of players on this court,” said the 23-year-old Brazilian who unleashed 69 winners past the Russian.
Seyboth Wild, without a win on the main tour since February 2022, had squandered two set points, which would have given him a two-set lead.
Medvedev made him pay, levelling the tie and then claiming a double break in the third set.
But the Brazilian hit back, a double break of his own in the fourth set levelling the clash as a fractious Medvedev bickered with the crowd.
In the final set, Seyboth Wild twice saw breaks retrieved by the Russian before he finally backed up a third break with a hold for 5-3.
He held his nerve to clinch the four-hour 15-minute match courtesy of two giant forehands and will face either Guido Pella or Quentin Halys for a place in the last 32.
Tunisian Jabeur mows down unseeded Bronzetti
World number seven Ons Jabeur made a near-flawless start to her French Open campaign as she brushed aside unseeded Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-4 6-1 yesterday to reach round two, while 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva grabbed her first Grand Slam main draw win.
Last year’s runner-up and fourth seed Norwegian Casper Ruud also made his way into the next round by thumping Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer 6-4 6-3 6-2 after American 16th seed Tommy Paul swatted aside Dominic Stephan Stricker 6-3 6-2 6-4.
Bronzetti came into the clash on Court Philippe Chatrier high on confidence after winning the first singles title of her career in Rabat but the 24-yearold’s hopes of ending a fivematch losing run at the majors faded as the contest wore on.
Jabeur, the runner-up at last year’s Wimbledon and U.S. Open after a shock firstround defeat at Roland Garros, blended guile and power as she reeled off the breaks in the second set to go 5-0 up before dropping serve.
I have watched Daniil play in my junior years. It’s a dream come true to beat these kinds of players on this court.”
Thiago Seyboth WIld » 172nd-ranked player