FRENCH OPEN. by Emiliano Naftali
A tightly wound Daniil Medvedev experienced a surprising elimination in the first round of the French Open, as he succumbed to Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild in a five-set battle, with the final scoreline reading 7-6(5) 6-7(6) 2-6 6-3 6-4. Despite Seyboth Wild securing two clay court titles in the Challenger circuit this season, Medvedev, ranked number two in the world, had entered the Grand Slam tournament on the back of a Rome title, showcasing remarkable improvement on the slowest surface.
However, none of Medvedev’s recent accomplishments seemed to matter on the windswept Philippe Chatrier court. The Russian grew increasingly frustrated, engaging in heated exchanges with the umpire and the unpredictable Parisian crowd, particularly regarding a line call in the fourth set. Seyboth Wild’s impressive speed and power proved too much for Medvedev, who struggled to find his rhythm and ultimately conceded defeat after a grueling four hours and fifteen minutes.
«I have been watching Daniil play since I was a junior, and defeating him on such a court is a dream come true,» expressed the 172nd-ranked player in the world.
