Daniel Altmaier was overcome by his feelings: In a five-set match against the top ten player Jannik Sinner, the German is in the third round of the French Open moved in. The second round match on Thursday (06/01/2023) lasted an epic 5 hours and 26 minutes. Previously, Anna-Lena Friedsam was the last German from the Grand Slam-Tournament eliminated. In the evening, Yannick Hanfmann also had to give up.
Altmaier won 6: 7 (0: 7), 7: 6 (9: 7), 1: 6, 7: 6 (7: 4) and 7: 5 against the Italian title contender Sinner.
“I love tennis”
After repelling two match points in the fourth round, Altmaier celebrated one of the greatest successes of his career. After the match point, the 24-year-old was overwhelmed by his feelings and let his tears run free. “I don’t know if it was a historic match, but it was one to remember”said Altmaier, “the emotions were crazy. I love tennis.”
Already in the first round of US Open In 2022 he forced Sinner into five sentences – at that time with the better end for the South Tyrolean. Against the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrow, Altmaier is now fighting for the round of 16.
Coup like in 2020
Altmaier thus achieved a coup similar to that in 2020, when he defeated the highly rated Italian Matteo Berrettini and reached the round of 16 in a Grand Slam for the only time in his career. This success was also the previous only win against a player from the top ten in the world rankings.
Altmaier started stable and was at times 4:3 ahead with a break. After losing the tie-break to zero, he had the middle finger of his left hand treated longer. The ice therapy helped, and Altmaier, with strong nerves, converted the fifth chance to win the second set with an overhead ball after more than two hours.
Altmaier with great fighting spirit
Sinner seemed vulnerable, but initially turned up the heat. In just 27 minutes, Altmaier saw the third set gone. Altmaier emphasized before the game that he did not see his only second second-round game as a bonus. “If that were a reward, I wouldn’t need to go out on the pitch.”
And he continued to show great fighting spirit in the fourth round. But again the world number 79. not taking advantage of a break. Altmaier fended off the first match point with a net scooter and saved himself in the new tie-break. There he got the sentence with a fine volley stop – this round alone lasted 90 minutes.
Nerves fluttering at the end
In the fifth round he served to victory with a score of 5:4, suddenly his nerves were trembling. But again he took the serve from Sinner – and was allowed to celebrate after a lot of shaking.
Hanfmann without a chance against Cherundolo
Yannick Hanfmann, on the other hand, is eliminated. The 31-year-old from Karlsruhe lost 6-3, 6-3 and 6-4 to Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo, who was 23rd. Hanfmann had failed in qualifying, but slipped into the main draw in Paris as a lucky loser. There he prevailed in just under five hours against the Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
Hanfmann had no chance against clay court specialist Cerundolo (24) on Thursday. Nevertheless, the trip to Paris was a success with 97,000 euros in prize money and a jump in the world rankings to hitherto unknown heights. After his surprising quarter-finals at the clay court masters in Rome, Hanfmann was most recently in 64th place and thus climbed higher than ever in the ATP ranking.
Peacefully out as the last German
Previously, Anna-Lena Friedsam was the last German tennis player to leave the French Open. The 29-year-old from Neuwied clearly lost her second round match against Ekaterina Alexandrowa from Russia 2:6, 0:6. Wimbledon semi-finalist Tatjana Maria (Bad Saulgau) and Jule Niemeier (Dortmund) had already failed in the first round due to their difficult opening hurdles.
Also with them Australian Open In January, all the players in the German Tennis Association (DTB) failed early – only Laura Siegemund made it through to the third round.
Friedsam didn’t find her game at all against the favorite Alexandrowa, number 23 on the seeding list, and missed the third round of the clay court Grand Slam for the fourth time in a row.
Sviatek and Rybakina without problems, teenager Mirra Andreeva continues to cause a sensation
Top favorite Iga Swiatek, on the other hand, continues to march through the French Open without any problems. The world number one from Poland, who triumphed in Roland Garros in 2020 and 2022, also eliminated the American Claire Liu in round two. A day after her 22nd birthday, Swiatek won 6-4, 6-0. “It wasn’t easy. I’m very happy that I played so well in the second set”, said Swiatek, who will meet Wang Xinyu of China in the third round. Swiatek had given up in the quarterfinals of the French Open at the WTA tournament in Rome due to a thigh injury, but made a fit impression in the first few days in Paris.
Previously, Wimbledon champion Jelena Rybakina had also taken the next hurdle. The fourth-seeded Kazakh, who had underpinned her role as one of the favorites in Roland Garros with her win in Rome, beat the Czech Linda Noskowa 6: 3, 6: 3. Rybakina had already clearly defeated a Czech in Brenda Fruhvirtova at the start – she now meets Sara Sorribes Tormo from Spain.
Meanwhile, teenager Mirra Andreeva continues to cause a sensation. The only 16-year-old Russian, who fought her way through qualification in Roland Garros, beat Diane Parry from France 6-1, 6-2. In 2022 Andreeva was in the quarterfinals of the junior competition. In the third round, Coco Gauff (USA) is waiting, who defeated the Austrian Julia Grabher 6:2, 6:3.
Ruud with slight problems on lap three
Last year’s finalist Casper Ruud can hope for a long journey through the tournament at the French Open this year. After his confident start, the Norwegian had a little more problems in the second lap. Ruud finally prevailed against the Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 6:3, 6:2, 4:6, 7:5. The fourth in the world rankings is in the third round in Roland Garros for the fifth time in a row.
After his final defeat against clay court king Rafael Nadal last year, Ruud is one of the extended favorites this time – but has played a mixed clay court season so far. The American Frances Tiafoe (No. 12) is also one lap ahead. The possible third round opponent of Olympic champion Alexander Zverev won against the Russian Aslan Karazew 3: 6, 6: 3, 7: 5, 6: 2. On Wednesday, the two top favorites Novak Djokovic from Serbia and world number one Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) had already reached the third round.