PARIS, MAY 26 (AGENCIES): Daniil Medvedev’s troubled relationship with Roland Garros continued as he suffered another early exit, falling to Australian wildcard Adam Walton in a dramatic five-set battle. Walton, ranked 97th in the world, secured a famous 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 victory on Tuesday, marking his first triumph over a top-10 opponent.
Medvedev, the former world number one and sixth seed, has now lost in the opening round in six of his last ten French Open appearances, underlining his discomfort on clay. The match was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts. Walton took the first set with aggressive play, while Medvedev responded emphatically in the second, dropping just one game. The Russian faltered again in the third, before rallying in the fourth to force a decider.
The final set saw Walton’s resilience shine. After Medvedev broke to lead 4-3, Walton struck back immediately, holding firm under pressure and closing out the contest with composure. His reward is a second-round clash against American Zachary Svajda, who overcame Alexei Popyrin.
Sabalenka eases past Maneiro
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka began her French Open campaign with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 win over Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The match lasted just 75 minutes, extending Sabalenka’s remarkable streak of 22 consecutive first-round Grand Slam victories. Despite entering Paris after a mixed clay season, including losses to Hailey Baptiste in Madrid and Sorana Cirstea in Rome, Sabalenka quickly dispelled doubts. She raced to a 4-0 lead in the opening set and dominated the second, surging to 5-0 before Maneiro briefly rallied.
Maneiro, known for her giant-killing feats at majors, showed flashes of brilliance with sharp volleys and daring backhands. Yet each time momentum threatened to shift, Sabalenka responded with power and precision. Her backhand proved lethal, and her growing confidence at the net added variety to her game. The Spaniard’s spirited resistance ended with a double fault on match point, sealing Sabalenka’s progress. The Belarusian, who earlier this year became the fifth woman in the Open Era to achieve the Sunshine Double, now looks poised to mount another deep run in Paris.
Coco Gauff kicks off title defence
Defending champion Coco Gauff launched her French Open title defence in style, defeating fellow American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0 in just over an hour. The World No. 4 extended her streak of reaching the second round in Paris to seven consecutive appearances.
Townsend started brightly, breaking Gauff’s serve in the opening game and nearly securing a double-break lead. However, a missed return at a crucial moment allowed Gauff to wrest back control. From then on, the reigning champion dominated, winning 11 of the last 12 games.
The second set highlighted the gulf in class between the two players. Townsend squandered opportunities, including a simple backhand into an open court, while Gauff punished every lapse with relentless baseline pressure.
Gauff’s authoritative performance underscored her determination to retain the crown she won last year. She will next face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif in the second round, continuing her quest for back-to-back titles at Roland Garros.
