World number 11 Daniil Medvedev has been sent crashing out from the first round of this year’s French Open after losing in five sets to Britain’s Cameron Norrie on Monday, while Taylor Fritz fell in four sets to Daniel Altmaier in another shock first-round result.
Medvedev went into the match against Norrie unbeaten in four previous meetings against the Brit, but the 81st-ranked Norrie put himself two sets up before holding off a fightback from the Russian, who recovered to take the third and fourth sets.
Trailing 5-4 in the deciding set, 29-year-old Norrie dug deep to break Medvedev’s serve, before winning the next three games to seal a thrilling 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 win after nearly four hours of play. He will face Federico Gomez of Argentina next in the second round.
In another shock result, American fourth seed Fritz succumbed to a 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 1-6 defeat at the hands of Germany’s Altmaier, while home favourite Arthur Fils got a 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 win over Nicolas Jarry.
Fritz will drop down the rankings as fifth ranked Jack Draper advanced to the second round. Altmaier on his part will now face Vit Kopriva of Czech Republic in the second round.