The curse of French Open five-setters struck again for Daniil Medvedev with the patchy sixth seed going out in his opening match on Tuesday 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.

Australian wildcard Adam Walton earned the victory, his first defeat of a top 10 player to hand Medvedev a fourth Paris loss in a five-set match which lasted for almost three and a half hours.

Medvedev, a Rome semi-finalist, committed 59 unforced errors and converted on only five of 21 break chances against his No. 97 opponent

“I managed to take the match (lead) when he didn’t play that well. That’s it. I didn’t manage to raise my level enough to win the whole match, and that’s why I lost,” he said.

“In tennis you need to adapt to the things, and sometimes I’m not good enough to adapt to it, and sometimes I am.”

Given his dismal record here, Medvedev remained reluctant to pinpoint a cause:

“I don’t want to find excuses. I know why I don’t really play always my best in Roland Garros, but if I say it, it’s excuses. So I keep it to myself.”

Paris is by far the world major for Medvedev, who has lost in the first round in seven of his last 10 appearances..

Walton, who also beat Medvedev last August in Cincinnati, was thrilled: “It’s huge.” 

“I knew I could do it and I believed, so I’m just happy with my performance. I’m really excited right now.

“It was such an up-and-down match. I ⁠got off to a hot start, and I felt like the ebbs and flows of the match were quite large today. 

“I’m just really proud of my efforts ⁠in the fifth set, to come from a break down to get the win.”

2021 Paris runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the second round in well under an hour as French opponent Alexandre Muller retired with pain in his right clf to hand over a 6-2, 3-0 win to the Greek,

Tsitsipas is fighting his way out of a months-long slump which has left his former top 10 ranking down at 79th

But the unseeded threat felt in his element on another hot spring day as he played on the Chatrier showcourt.

“I’ve always felt like Chatrier has more of a kick to it. The heat always makes a court bouncier, it makes the clay dry up quicker, which has more of an effect ultimately.

“When we had rain here for a few days in a row in the past in the Roland Garros, I’ve always felt like the ball stays lower and you have the tendency to play longer rallies.”

Tsitsipas called this week’s heat “an extra challenge.”

“I’m mentally ready every single time to face it. I just want to make the most out of it in terms of grinding it out.

“It’s about who can withstand it better. The tennis feels like coming second when there is so much heat on the court.”

Croat veteran Marin Cilic, a 2022 semi-finalist, suffered a shock ouster at the hands of 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-1.

Kouame is the first teen to defeat a former Grand Slam winner (Cilic won the 2014 US Open) in a Grand Slam debut match since Marat Safin beat Andre Agassi here in 1998.

The youngster coached by Richard Gasquet is also the first player born in 2009 to win a matchrogrogrog at a major. Former French player Gasquet faced Cilic four times in his career (2-2).

“I felt rather good, well prepared,” the winner said. “I was ready.

“We worked a lot on the tactics, on how to approach the match.

“Yesterday I also practised a lot on these courts, and last year I also practised and played here.

“So I knew a bit about the atmosphere and the crowd that was present today.”

British No. 1 Cam Norrie retired with a rib complaint to send Paraguay’s Alfredo Vallejo into the second round 7-6 (7), 2-0.

Gael Monfils concluded his French Open career with a five-set opening-round loss to compatriot Hugo Gaston, but bowed out with a smile and big plans for a future outside the court.

The last Paris match of the French showman came only hours after good Swiss friend Stan Wawrinka also said his career goodbyes to Roland Garros, with retirement set for the end of the season.

While three-time grand Slam winner Wawrinka, 41, lifted the title here 11 years ago, the best at the venue for the 39-year-old Monfils was the 2008 semi-finals.

“It’s a mixed feeling between happiness, sadness, and a lot of feelings, a lot of emotion. It’s very hard to describe,” Monfils said.

“Somehow I don’t want to dig too deep yet, but it’s not easy. It’s very hard, deeply inside is very hard, so I really try to block them.”

The Swiss-based player married to WTA No. 7 Elina Svitolina took to the court on Monday night 21 years after his first match here, when he also lost a 6-0 final set in his debut to Guillermo Cañas.

Against Gaston, Monfils fought back to level at two sets apiece after dropping the first two but ran out of gas in the fifth where he was blanked.

He told French media of his immediate plans, working with his brother to complete a massive 10,000-piece Lego of the Eiffel Tour.

He said he will be hoping for wildcard invitations to Wimbledon and possibly the US Open but will play the remainder of the season by ear. His schedule will be set to allow time to be with his daughter Skai as she begins preschool in September.

Monfils added that he is determined to play past the age of 40, meaning he would have to compete in some autumn events after his September birthday.

“My wish is to be an athlete that plays until 40 years old. Nico (His manager) says that he’s locked me in until 40, maybe 40 years and a few days, let’s see”

Main photo:- Gail Monfils waves farewell to Roland Garros after 21 years. – ©ATPTour.com

A video tribute from Roger Federer marked the end of the French Open on Monday for Stan Wawrinka as the Swiss went out in the first round.

Joining Federer in celebrating the career of the three-time Grand Slam winner who will pack up his racquet at the end of this season were former rivals Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and retiring French icon Gael Monfils.

Current world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and his own rival Carlos Alcaraz also sent best wishes.  

The 41-year-old Wwarinka, who won the Paris title in 2015 and claimed Davis Cup and Olympic titles, reached a career high of third in the world.

He lost his opening match at this edition, defeated by 25-year-old Jesper de Jong 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The winner’s Dutch coach had once lost to Wawrinka back in the day.

Three-timm Grand Slam champion Wawrinka was surprised in a post-match on-cort ceremony orchestrated by TD Amelie Mauresmo and federation boss Gilles Moretton,

“Ciao Stanley, congratulations for your career and especially what you did when you won at Roland Garros,”  20-time Grand Slam winner Federer said in his message on the stadium video wall.

“It was exceptional what you did in beating novak in the final – I will neve forget it

“I spent so much time with you on the Tour over the course of your career. I hope you celebrate this final Roland Garros properly and that you enjoy everything up until the end of your career (coming at the end of this season).

“See you soon, old man.”

Nadal recalled that he and Wwarinak “grew up together” adding that the Swiss had “an unforgettable career.”

Djokovic, last of the fabled Big 3 still active in the sport, addressed his friend and rival: “Stanimal, congratulations on an incredible career.

“You were an inspiration to me and many other players across several generations (after 25 years in the sport).

“You have so much to be proud of, I’m very happy to call you a friend.”