Medvedev ousted by wildcard Walton in French Open round

Former world number one Daniil Medvedev suffered a stunning first-round exit at the French Open on Tuesday, falling in five sets to Australian wildcard Adam Walton. The result marks the seventh time in ten appearances that the sixth-seeded Russian has lost his opening match at Roland Garros.

Walton, ranked 97th in the world, secured the biggest victory of his career with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 win on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The match, lasting three hours and 22 minutes, was characterized by dramatic momentum shifts and played in hot conditions with temperatures nearing 30 degrees Celsius.

Medvedev’s frustrations were visible early as he struggled with his serve and the heat, committing 60 unforced errors and converting only five of 21 break point opportunities. During the first set, an exchange with his wife, Daria Medvedeva, was overheard. After Medvedev complained about the conditions, she responded from the stands, “It’s hot for everybody. Everybody is suffering. You need to behave!” Medvedev replied, “When I start finding the court, I’ll start to behave.”

Despite the tension, Medvedev fought back from losing the first set to dominate the second. The players then traded...