Australian wildcard Adam Walton has pulled off the biggest victory of his career at the French Open, staying cool in the Paris heat to shock a frazzled Daniil Medvedev for the second time in nine months. The Queenslander took advantage of one of the former world No. 1's Jekyll and Hyde days, hanging tough in the final set to come from behind and win 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 in three hours 22 minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Walton's Resilience Shines in Fifth Set
When he was 4-2 down in a much more closely fought fifth set after four curiously uneven stanzas, it looked as if the 27-year-old from Brisbane would miss out on repeating his previous career-best triumph over Medvedev at the Cincinnati Open last August. But he regrouped, won the next two games and then survived a couple of break points in the crucial penultimate game, before the Russian imploded to be broken to love.
“It’s huge,” said Walton, admitting his weariness after becoming the fourth Australian man to make round two. “That win in Cincinnati definitely gave me the belief. I believed and I’m really excited right now.” He reckoned the 32°C temperatures certainly helped. “We grew up in the heat,” he said on court. “I really like it when it’s hot in Paris.”
Popyrin's Disappointing Exit
Walton must have hoped he would be enjoying an all-Australian second round clash with Alexei Popyrin, but the Australian No. 2 suffered another dispiriting grand slam defeat, capitulating in four sets to American Zachary Svajda after a hot start. Popyrin, who was left tearful after losing in five sets in the first round at the Australian Open in January, again looked devastated after his 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 loss to Svajda. His poor shot selection, with a host of ill-judged drop shots, eventually cost him dear.
It was a match that the 26-year-old Sydneysider would have been firmly expecting to win after a recent spell of rejuvenation on the clay when he earned notable wins over Matteo Berrettini and Jakub Mensik at the Italian Open, while his 23-year-old Californian opponent had won once on clay this year. But it proved another disappointment for the man who has dropped from world No. 19 last August to No. 61.
