Daniil Medvedev was stunned in the first round of the French Open by Australian wildcard Adam Walton. The former world number one fell in a bruising five-set match, ending 6-2 1-6 6-1 1-6 6-4. The contest was marked by sharp swings in momentum on the Parisian clay.
World number 97 Walton, seeking his first win over a top-10 player, took a 4-2 lead in the opening set as Medvedev showed early signs of frustration. While the sixth seed recovered to claim the second set, he let the third slip away. After Medvedev took the fourth, Walton fought back in the decider to break at 4-4 and secure a famous victory.
The result marks the seventh first-round defeat in 10 appearances at the event for Medvedev, highlighting his uneasy relationship with the sport's slowest surface. Despite the loss, the Russian stated that he would never consider skipping the claycourt Grand Slam.
Up next for the 27-year-old Walton is a second-round meeting with American Zachary Svajda, who defeated Australian Alexei Popyrin.