Roland-Garros: Altmaier stuns fourth-seeded Fritz to reach second round

Daniel Altmaier earned a huge scalp to knock out Taylor Fritz, the No 4 seed, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the second round of Roland-Garros.

Fritz now has the unenviable tag of being the highest seed across both the men’s and women’s draws to exit Roland-Garros so far this year.

It will be little consolation to the American, but Altmaier was excellent. The German hit 44 winners in a display full of variety which Fritz struggled to read.

Altmaier took down Jannik Sinner in the second round two years ago in a memorable five-set encounter when the Italian was the ninth seed. This upset is arguably even bigger given Fritz’s status as the world No 4, but the American’s form has been patchy across this season’s clay-court stretch.

“It was very special. I’ve worked very hard in the last few weeks to gain confidence and prepare for this kind of match,” said Altmaier

“I feel ready to play against any opponent. I’m very happy to get this first win.”

Altmaier, ranked No 66, will face Vit Kopriva next.

Paris (Grand Slam), other first-round results (Roland-Garros, clay, EUR 56.352.000, most recent results first):

• Gael Monfils vs. Hugo Dellien
• Matteo Arnaldi vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Mattia Bellucci vs. Jack Draper
• Hubert Hurkacz vs. Joao Fonseca
• Mackenzie McDonald vs. Novak Djokovic
• Corentin Moutet vs. Clement Tabur
• Marin Cilic vs. Flavio Cobolli
• Pierre-Hugues Herbert vs. Benjamin Bonzi
• Maximilian Marterer vs. Adam Walton
• Nikoloz Basilashvili vs. Henrique Rocha
• Andrey Rublev vs. Lloyd Harris
• Alexandre Muller vs. Jakub Mensik
• Ethan Quinn vs. Grigor Dimitrov
• Jesper De Jong vs. Francesco Passaro
• Alexander Zverev vs. Learner Tien
• Alexander Bublik vs. James Duckworth
• Aleksandar Kovacevic vs. Federico Agustin Gomez
• Daniil Medvedev vs. Cameron Norrie
• Alexander Shevchenko vs. Dusan Lajovic
• Alex De Minaur vs. Laslo Djere
• Jannik Sinner vs. Arthur Rinderknech
• Marcos Giron vs. Tallon Griekspoor
• Camilo Ugo Carabelli vs. Jaume Munar
• Filip Misolic vs. Yunchaokete Bu
• Christopher O’Connell vs. Ugo Humbert
• Nicolas Jarry vs. Arthur Fils
• Denis Shapovalov vs. Pedro Martinez Portero: monday
• Terence Atmane vs. Richard Gasquet: monday
• Sebastian Ofner vs. Jan-Lennard Struff: monday
• Francisco Cerundolo vs. Gabriel Diallo: monday
• Jiri Lehecka vs. Jordan Thompson: monday
• Karen Khachanov vs. Aleksandar Vukic: monday
• Jacob Fearnley beat Stan Wawrinka (WC): 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-2
• Roberto Bautista Agut vs. Holger Rune: monday
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (20) beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry: 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (26) beat Pablo Llamas Ruiz (Q): 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3
• Carlos Alcaraz (2) beat Giulio Zeppieri (Q): 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
• Hugo Gaston beat Ugo Blanchet (Q): 2-6, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
• Alexei Popyrin (25) beat Yoshihito Nishioka: 7-5, 6-4, 1-2 ret.
• Alejandro Tabilo beat Arthur Cazaux (WC): 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
• Casper Ruud (7) beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Q): 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
• Sebastian Korda (23) beat Luciano Darderi: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Miomir Kecmanovic beat Sebastian Baez: 6-7 (3), 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
• Nuno Borges beat Kyrian Jacquet (Q): 3-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
• Quentin Halys beat Tomas Machac (21): 7-6 (4), 4-1 ret.
• Ben Shelton (13) beat Lorenzo Sonego: 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
• Jenson Brooksby beat Jaime Faria: 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
• Emilio Nava (WC) beat Botic van de Zandschulp: 6-2, 7-5, 7-5
• Matteo Gigante (Q) beat Benjamin Hassan (Q): 6-4, 6-2, 6-0
• Fabian Marozsan beat Luca Nardi: 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (3)
• Frances Tiafoe (15) beat Roman Safiullin: 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
• Juan Manuel Cerundolo (Q) beat Alex Michelsen (32): 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
• Daniel Elahi Galan (LL) beat Valentin Royer (WC): 7-6 (6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 7-5
• Lorenzo Musetti (8) beat Yannick Hanfmann (Q): 7-5, 6-2, 6-0
• Vit Kopriva beat Thiago Monteiro: 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (6), 6-1
• Damir Dzumhur beat Thiago Agustin Tirante (LL): 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5
• Pablo Carreno Busta beat Francisco Comesana: 6-2, 7-6 (3), 7-5
• Reilly Opelka beat Rinky Hijikata: 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (3)
• Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (31) beat Zizou Bergs: 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-4
• Tommy Paul (12) beat Elmer Moller (LL): 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3, 6-1
• Hamad Medjedovic beat Kamil Majchrzak: 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (2)
• Marton Fucsovics beat Tristan Schoolkate (WC): 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
• Mariano Navone beat Brandon Nakashima (28): 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-1, 6-2