Qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild sends world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev crashing out of French Open

PARIS – World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev became the highest-ranked player to exit the French Open on Tuesday after he lost a five-setter to Brazil’s 172nd-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild in the first round amid gusty winds.

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 in a marathon contest which lasted 4hr 15min.

It was Medvedev’s fifth loss in the opening round at Roland Garros in seven appearances.

Although Seyboth Wild won two Challenger (second-tier) titles on clay this season, second seed Medvedev was coming into the Grand Slam on the back of a title in Rome, having shown tremendous progress on the slowest surface.

It counted for nothing on a wind-swept Court Philippe Chatrier, where the 27-year-old Russian seemed increasingly frustrated, arguing with the umpire and the fickle Paris crowd over a line call in the fourth set.

Seyboth Wild, 23, just had too much pace and power for Medvedev as he unleashed 69 winners past the Russian.

“I have watched Daniil play in my junior years. It’s a dream come true to beat these kinds of players on this court,” he said.

“I just wanted to get my angles right, get to the net as much as possible and use my forehand as much as possible against his – I guess it worked pretty well.”

He added: “I was cramping in the second set and couldn’t really serve the way I wanted to but I tried to play my best tennis. I’m really happy with the way I played.”

Medvedev had stolen his opponent’s serve early in the first set but was broken to love in the fourth game as Seyboth Wild forced a tiebreak, in which he had the upper hand. Clearing dust off his eyes, he served for the set at 6-5 and Medvedev netted the return.

Seyboth Wild maintained the pressure on the Russian in the second set, mixing his powerful game with timely drop shots as the red dirt continued to swirl around the court.

Medvedev saved two set points in the second tiebreak and, on the Russian’s first set point, Seyboth Wild, with an open court for a routine overhead, sent the ball wide.

The Brazilian’s game – as well as body – was falling to pieces as he lost the third set and requested medical assistance for a nose bleed and finger problem. But he picked his body and game up in the fourth, levelling the contest when Medvedev’s backhand sailed long.

Seyboth Wild kept his momentum going, opening a 2-0 lead in the decider and, although Medvedev clawed back to level at 3-3, Seyboth Wild broke again for 4-3.

He held on to his advantage and ended Medvedev’s ordeal on the first match point with a booming forehand winner down the line.

He will meet Frenchman Quentin Halys or Argentinian veteran Guido Pella next.

There were no slip-ups from other top seeds such as Casper Ruud. The fourth seed coasted into the second round with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer on Court Suzanne Lenglen to kick off his bid for a second straight final in Paris.

Ymer was no match for the baseline power of his world No. 4 opponent, who lost in the 2022 final to Rafael Nadal, an absentee this year because of injury.

Ruud, however, insisted that his win was not as straightforward as it seemed.

“It was tough. The first match back here since one of the best tournaments of my life, you have to try to defend what you did last year, so I was a bit nervous at times,” he said. “But I managed to calm down and, as the match went on, I felt a little better.”

In other matches, Alexander Zverev made a winning return to Roland Garros with a straight-set win over Lloyd Harris in the first round, 12 months since suffering a serious ankle injury in the semi-finals.

The German had to retire injured from a dramatic last-four clash with Nadal last season after twisting his ankle and did not play again in 2022. He is seeded only 22nd this time around after struggling to recapture his best form since returning to the ATP Tour.

But the former US Open finalist had enough to beat South African Harris 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-0), 6-1.

In the women’s draw, 2022 runner-up Coco Gauff recovered from losing the first set to beat Spain’s Rebeka Masarova 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the second round.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina continued her fine run on clay and moved into the second round after easing to a 6-4, 6-2 win over Czech teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova. REUTERS, AFP