PARIS: Daniil Medvedev could not avoid the French Open first-round trapdoor as he fell 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 to Australian wildcard Adam Walton on Tuesday in a match marked by sharp swings in momentum on the Parisian clay.
Medvedev has now lost in the first round in six of his last nine appearances at French Open.The Australian world number 97 will next face Zachary Svajda in the second round.
The former world number one had fallen at the first hurdle in six of his previous nine appearances at the claycourt Grand Slam, highlighting his uneasy relationship with Roland Garros and the sport’s slowest surface.
Medvedev showed early signs of frustration when he dropped serve and then allowed Walton to build a 4-2 lead in the opening set, which the 30-year-old relinquished with a forehand that sailed over the baseline.
The recovery was swift and emphatic as Medvedev regained his rhythm to wrest control by claiming the next set for the loss of only one game, but the sixth seed could not maintain his grip and let the third set slip away.
World number 97 Walton, who was seeking a first win over a top-10 player, surrendered the fourth set but fought on bravely in the decider to break back at 4-4, before producing a tight hold and then dismissing Medvedev for a famous victory.
Up next for the 27-year-old is a second-round meeting with American Zachary Svajda, who beat Australian Alexei Popyrin 3-6 6-3 7-6 7-5.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka began her French Open campaign with a strong performance, quickly defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 in just 1 hour and 15 minutes on Tuesday. The top seed showcased her skills on Court Philippe-Chatrier, marking her 22nd consecutive first-round victory at Grand Slams.
Sabalenka arrived in Paris following a somewhat uneven clay-court season compared to her dominant form earlier this year. She made history as only the fifth woman in the Open Era to achieve the Sunshine Double. Recent losses to Hailey Baptiste in Madrid and Sorana Cirstea in Rome had raised some doubts. Additionally, Bouzas Maneiro came into the match with a reputation for causing upsets in Grand Slam opening rounds. The Spaniard famously defeated defending Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in 2024 and surprised Emma Navarro at Roland Garros last year.
Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek eased into the second round with comfortable wins at a sweltering Roland Garros.
Swiatek, playing at a Grand Slam event for the first time since linking up with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francisco Roig, made short work of seeing off Australian teenager Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-2 in just 60 minutes.
Naomi Osaka’s taste for fashion was in the spotlight again on Tuesday at the French Open. The tennis star walked onto Court Suzanne-Lenglen in a ceremonial black skirt and sleeveless beaded bodice, which she removed to reveal a sequined gold playing dress for her opening match. Osaka matched it with striking tennis to dismantle unseeded German Laura Siegemund 6-3, 7-6(3) in the first round.
The 4th seed Coco Gauff beat Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-0 to reach next round.
Elena Rybakina eased into the second round with a comfortable opening win over Slovenian Veronika Erjavec. The second seed needed just 74 minutes on a scorching Court Philippe Chatrier to seal her passage through the round of 128 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
Rybakina will next take on Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva as the Kazakh seeks to win her second Grand Slam of the season, following her success at the Australian Open in January.
Moreover, Alina Korneeva beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3 6-3, Antonia Ružic beat Ashlyn Krueger 3-6 6-2 6-2, Elsa Jacquemot beat Linda Fruhvirtova 6-4 6-3, Mayar Sherif beat Dalma Gálfi 7-5 6-4, Ann Li beat Zhang Shuai 6-4 6-2,Maria Sakkari beat Linda Noskova 7-5 7-6, Donna Vekic beat Alice Tubello 6-3 6-2, Iva Jovic beat Alexandra Eala 6-4 6-2 to reach second round.
In men’s section, Learner Tien beat Cristian Garín 6-0 6-2 0-6 6-2, Stefanos Tsitsipas got walked over against Alexandre Müllerwhen the score was 6-2, 3-0, Facundo Díaz Acosta beat Zhang Zhizhen 6-1 6-4 6-3, Valentin Vacherot beat Thomas Faurel 6-3 6-3 3-6 7-6, Alejandro Tabilo beat Kamil Majchrzak 6-1 6-3 6-4 to reach next round. Agencies
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