Paris, May 26 (IANS) On a day when most top seeds were expected to cruise through their opening matches, Germany’s Daniel Altmaier lit up Roland Garros with the first major upset of the tournament.

The World No. 66 delivered a composed and powerful performance to knock out fourth seed Taylor Fritz in four sets—7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1—sending shockwaves through the men’s draw.

Altmaier, known for his grit and clay-court craft, played fearless tennis throughout the two-hour, 41-minute encounter, blunting Fritz’s big-hitting game with a mix of aggression, control, and tactical intelligence.

His 44 winners were a testament to that approach, many of them coming from deep, heavy forehands that pinned the American behind the baseline.

“It was very special,” Altmaier said after the match. “I’ve been working really hard these past weeks to gain confidence and prepare for matches like this. I feel like I’m ready to face anyone.”

The 26-year-old German had shown his potential on the Paris clay before, reaching the fourth round in 2020.

Monday’s win marked his third career Top-10 victory at Roland Garros—after defeating Matteo Berrettini in 2020 and Jannik Sinner in 2023—and his fifth overall against Top-10 opposition.

Perhaps the most telling aspect of the match was Altmaier’s dominance in the fourth set, where he raced ahead with two breaks of serve. One particularly stunning rally ended with an inside-out forehand winner that left Fritz stranded and the crowd on their feet.

“The sacrifices every tennis player makes are unbelievable,” he said. “I have a long-term vision and I definitely want to achieve something big in this sport. That’s why I have to win matches like this.”

For Fritz, the loss was a significant blow. It marked only his second first-round exit at a Grand Slam since the 2019 US Open and his first at Roland Garros since 2018. The American had made history at the 2024 US Open by becoming the first American man since Andy Roddick in 2006 to reach the final of a major.

Elsewhere on Day 2 of the tournament, Stefanos Tsitsipas got his campaign off to a smooth start, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. The former French Open finalist notched his eighth consecutive first-round win at Roland Garros and will next face Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante. A potential third-round clash with 13th seed Ben Shelton looms.

–IANS

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