Daniil Medvedev sent packing from French Open in stunning upset

The tennis world is in disbelief after world number two Daniil Medvedev was sent packing from the French Open by a rank outsider.

World number two Daniil Medvedev was knocked out of the French Open in the first round on Tuesday, losing in five sets to 172nd-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil.

Seyboth Wild, who came through the qualifiers and had never previously won a Grand Slam match, triumphed 7-6, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

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It was Medvedev’s fifth loss in the opening round at Roland Garros in seven appearances.

“I have watched Daniil play in my junior years. It’s a dream come true to beat these kinds of players on this court,” said the 23-year-old Brazilian who unleashed 69 winners.

“I was cramping in the second set and couldn’t really serve the way I wanted to but I tried to play my best tennis.”

The qualifier got it done. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Seyboth Wild, without a win on the main tour since February 2022, held his nerve in the conclusion of the four-hour 15-minute match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

He twice saw breaks retrieved by Medvedev in the deciding set before finally backing up a third break with a hold for 5-3. Two giant forehands secured victory.

He will face Guido Pella for a place in the last 32. Medvedev arrived in Paris buoyed by winning his first ever clay court title at the prestigious Italian Open last week for his fifth trophy of 2023.

“Every time the clay court season finishes, I’m happy,” said Medvedev.

“I had a mouthful of clay since probably third game of the match, and I don’t like it. I don’t know if people like to eat clay, to have clay in their bags, in their shoes, the socks, white socks, you can throw them to garbage after clay season.

“Maybe some people like it. I don’t. I am happy to have it finished,”

ABSOLUTELY WILD

Thiago Seyboth Wild upsets Medvedev to score his first-ever Grand Slam main draw win! pic.twitter.com/eofHE4KMDe

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) May 30, 2023

HUGE UPSET!

World No. 172 Thiago Seyboth Wild, who is making his Roland Garros debut, has just beaten world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in five sets 😳

This is only his second career Grand Slam tournament! pic.twitter.com/2xBqh6gL3T

— Eurosport (@eurosport) May 30, 2023

Seyboth Wild had only previously played one match at the Slams at the US Open in 2020. Apart from that brief ray of light, he had tried and failed eight times to qualify for the majors.

Medvedev believes the Brazilian can use Tuesday’s victory for a launch pad into the big time.

“If he continues to play that way, in my opinion, end of the year, he’s top 30,” said Medvedev.

“I honestly hope he’s going play like this later on, because if not, I’m going be disappointed. I’m going to be like, why today? Why not in two days?”

“His life is going to be better if he plays like this every match. He’s going to get more money, more sponsors, win big titles. But he has to play like this. Not once on the Philippe Chatrier, but a lot of times in different tournaments all over the world throughout the year.”

Seyboth Wild was US Open junior champion in 2018 and when he captured his only professional title at Santiago two years later at the age of 19, he became the first ATP champion born in the 2000s.