INDIAN WELLS (AFP) – Tallon Griekspoor stunned top-seeded Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4) in the second round at Indian Wells, avenging a devastating loss to the German at Roland Garros last year.
Zverev, the world number two who is heading the field of the prestigious ATP Masters event with number one Jannik Sinner serving a three-month drugs ban, is the first Indian Wells men’s top seed to lose his opening match since Andy Murray in 2017.
It was a cherished win for Griekspoor, who had lost five straight matches – including four last year – to the German.
That included a five-setter at the French Open in which Griekspoor was up a double break in the fifth in a defeat he called “absolute heartbreak”.
“It was such a mental thing. I played so many battles against him and had chances but they all went his way,” said Griekspoor, who claimed his first victory over a top-five player in his 19th attempt.
“I am incredibly proud of myself from this performance and to get it over the line,” the 28-year-old added. Broken to trail 5-6 in the third set, Zverev saved five match points in a dramatic 12th game, finally converting his fifth break point of the game to force the tiebreaker.
But Griekspoor sealed it on his first chance in the decider.
The defeat in a tension-packed Stadium Court clash continued a lackluster run for Zverev since he fell to Sinner in the Australian Open final. Following that loss he has made early exits at Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Acapulco.
“I always struggle against him,” Zverev said of Griekspoor. “He played a good match. There’s no question about that. But I have to look at myself a little bit, and it’s nowhere near where I want to be.”
American Marcos Giron joined Griekspoor in posting his first win over a top-five player, upsetting fourth seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-2.
Russian Daniil Medvedev, runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz the past two years, moved on with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 71st-ranked Bu Yunchaokete of China.
Fifth-seeded Medvedev, bundled up against the cold desert night air with leggings under his shorts and long sleeves, dropped his serve to open the match.
But he broke back immediately and was never seriously threatened despite the wealth of long rallies.
“I’ll be surprised if he had more than five winners in the match,” Medvedev said. “I just knew that I have to put the ball in court and run.”
Iga Swiatek, the women’s defending champion in this combined ATP and WTA 1000 event, eased through her opener 6-2, 6-0 against French veteran Caroline Garcia.
“I’m happy that I was solid until the end, and I’m just happy that I adjusted to the conditions well,” said Swiatek, who played as the late afternoon temperature dropped and the breeze picked up.
“First matches are not easy, and didn’t know what to expect from Caro, but I’m happy that I could dominate from the beginning.”
Swiatek converted six of her nine break points and was broken only once in the 61-minute victory.
Fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula also powered through, beating Poland’s Magda Linette 6-4, 6-2.
