Medvedev gets Wild shock in first-round loss
Daniil Medvedev became the highest-ranked player to exit the French Open after a five-sets first-round defeat by Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild on Tuesday.
World No. 2 Medvedev was tipped as a surprise contender for the Paris title following a triumph in Rome, but the Russian was blown away by Wild in gusty conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier and crashed to a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat.
"I watched Daniil play since I was junior and beating him on such a court is a dream come true," Wild, the world No. 172, said after the gruelling encounter that lasted more than four hours.
Last year's runner-up and fourth seed Norwegian Casper Ruud advanced to 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.
Alexander Zverev exited the Roland Garros in agony last year after rolling his ankle during his semifinal against Rafa Nadal but the German celebrated a winning return by getting past Lloyd Harris 7-6 (6), 7-6 (0), 6-1.
Earlier, world No. 7 Ons Jabeur made a near-flawless start to her campaign by brushing aside unseeded Italian Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1, while 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva earned her first Grand Slam main draw win.
Andreeva, who announced herself to the world when she stunned 2021 U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-4 in Madrid last month, broke new ground at the majors with a 6-2, 6-1 win over former world No. 18 Alison Riske-amritraj.
Brenda Fruhvirtova, another 16-year-old seeking a statement win, crashed out following a 6-4, 6-2 defeat by Elena Rybakina as the Wimbledon champion continued her quest for a second Grand Slam title.
American sixth seed Coco Gauff also shook off a slow start to seal a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Spain's Rebeka Masarova.
DJOKOVIC FANS POLITICAL FLAMES
Kosovo's tennis federation said Novak Djokovic risked aggravating an already tense situation after the world No. 3 wrote that Kosovo was "the heart of Serbia" on a camera lens following his first-round win a day earlier.
Some 30 NATO peacekeeping soldiers were injured on Monday in clashes with Serb protesters in the northern Kosovo town of Zvecan, where Djokovic's father grew up.
"The comments made by Djokovic at the end of his Roland Garros match against Aleksandar Kovacevic, his statements at the post-match conference and his Instagram post are regrettable," Kosovo tennis federation chief Jeton Hadergjonaj.
"Despite a general message against violence, the statement 'Kosovo is the heart of Serbia' and further statements after the match made by such a public figure... directly result in raising the level of tension between the two states, Serbia and Kosovo."