(Paris) The Italian Jannik Sinner, 9th in the world, was eliminated in the second round of Roland-Garros by the German Daniel Altmaier (79th), winner 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (9/7) , 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 in nearly 5:30 on Thursday.
After the Russian Daniil Medvedev (2nd), the young Italian (21), eighth finalist of the last two editions of the Parisian tournament, is the second serious outsider to be eliminated prematurely from the Parisian Grand Slam, despite two match points in the fourth. sleeve.
The German, eighth-finalist at Roland-Garros in 2020, will face the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (29th) for a place in the round of 16.
For Sinner, who embodies with the world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and the No.6 Holger Rune, both 20 years old, the next generation of world tennis, it is a bitter failure.
Sinner had two match points in the fourth set, when serving 5-4, but failed to convert them. Altmaier then managed to turn the game around, enjoying the support of part of the public at the Suzanne-Lenglen court. The latter gave him a very long ovation and chanted his name after his marathon victory.
Roland-Garros is the only Grand Slam tournament in which Altmaier has managed to win a single match. In 2020, he was invited there in the round of 16 after getting out of qualifying.
The Norwegian Casper Ruud, finalist of Roland-Garros last year, was solid to defeat the Italian Giulio Zeppieri (129th) 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, Thursday, and qualify for the third round of the tournament.
He will face for a place in the round of 16 the winner of the match between the Chinese Zhizhen Zhang (71st) and the Argentinian Thiago Agustin Tirante (153rd).
Rudd, 4th player in the world, had to work to dismiss Zeppieri, an opponent who went through the qualifications who offered him a good resistance for 3h 4min of the match. The Italian even broke with an overpowered forehand when Ruud was looking to end the game (5-5).
In vain finally since Ruud, still looking for his first Grand Slam title after his two finals last season, Porte d’Auteuil then at the United States Open, took over the service of his opponent in stride (6- 5).
Zeppieri felt pain in his right thigh during that game, calling a doctor to massage it, then couldn’t defend his chances properly afterwards.