Like Gustavo Kuerten in his best days, the also Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild (172nd ATP) set fire to the Roland Garros center and gave the tournament’s great surprise by eliminating the second world player, Daniil Medvedev, this Tuesday in the first round.
Medvedev falls in the first round of Roland Garros
Coming from the previous qualifying rounds for the main draw, the Seyboth Wild offered an exhibition against one of the great favorites for the final victory, whom they beat 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 2- 6, 6-3 and 6-4, in four hours and 15 minutes.
Medvedev arrived in Paris after winning the Masters 1000 in Rome, his first trophy on clay, a surface with which he seemed to have made peace. But he ran into a tennis player in a state of grace.
Without having won a Grand Slam match before, Seyboth Wild dressed as Kuerten -winner of the tournament in 1997, 2000 and 2001- and gave Philippe Chartier an unforgettable show.
He displayed a high-height tennis shoe that cornered for practically the entire game
Medvedev, who survived until the fifth round thanks to his defensive abilities.
It was the Russian’s fifth loss in the first round at Roland Garros in seven appearances.
“I had seen Daniel play in my youth years. It is a dream come true to beat a player of this level on this court,” said the 23-year-old Brazilian, who signed 69 ‘winners’.
“I just wanted to find the angles and go to the net, use my forehand as much as possible, and it worked very well,” he added.
“I had cramps in the second set and I couldn’t serve as I really wanted… But I’m very happy with how I played,” he revealed about a second set that, however, was one shot away from winning it.
Seyboth Wild, who had not won a match on the ATP circuit since February 2022, seemed to lower the level after failing to take advantage of his two set balls in the second.
Medvedev took the initiative, but the Brazilian recovered sensations to take the fourth and cause delirium in the fifth. The public, who had supported him throughout the game, gave him a huge ovation, while Medvedev left making disapproving gestures at people for having opted for the Brazilian.
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AFP
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