Altmaier stuns Sinner in five-set Paris marathon

Unseeded Daniel Altmaier of Germany came from a set down — including saving two match points — to upset No. 8 Jannik Sinner of Italy in a 5½-hour match in the second round of the French Open on Thursday in Paris.

Altmaier saved two match points on Sinner’s serve down 4-5 in the fourth to claim a 6-7 (0), 7-6 (7), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 victory.

“Playing every point you can with the best effort, that’s what keeps you in reality,” Altmaier said about saving Sinner’s match points. “I was just thinking that, and the competition says it all. We’ve had historic matches with so many match points . ... I don’t know if you can call this an ‘historical’ match, but I think it was one to remember.”

Said Sinner: “Usually I’m smiling inside, and that was not the case today. My attitude was not right. I did things I don’t usually do.”

The 5-hour, 26-minute match was the longest at Roland Garros since Lorenzo Giustino’s 6-hour, 5-minute victory over Corentin Moutet in 2020.

Altmaier and Sinner were playing for the second time ever; Sinner got the best of Altmaier in a five-setter at last year’s U.S. Open.

Giant-killer Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil kept his unlikely run going, defeating Guido Pella of Argentina 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

It was Seyboth Wild’s encore performance after stunning No. 2-seeded Daniil Medvedev of Russia on Tuesday. He advanced to the third round to play No. 27 Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan, a four-set winner over Max Purcell of Australia.

Fourth-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway also advanced with a 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri. Ruud is hoping for a repeat performance of 2022, when he advanced to the title match at Roland Garros.

“So far quite good, but still many matches to play in the tournament,” said Ruud. “I’m just happy to be here, happy to win my first two matches . ... These are perfect playing conditions, if you ask me . ... There’s a lot of things to enjoy on this court and in this tournament.”

No. 9 Taylor Fritz overcame losing the first set to dispatch Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

No. 12 Frances Tiafoe dropped the first set but recovered to take a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over Russian Aslan Karatsev and advance.