Australian Underdogs Deliver Shocking Upsets at Roland-Garros
Two Australian underdogs have delivered two titanic upsets at the French Open, capturing the attention of tennis fans around the world. Kim Birrell followed in the footsteps of Adam Walton, who pulled off an improbable fifth-set comeback victory over Daniil Medvedev, by securing her own extraordinary upset against fifth-ranked American Jessica Pegula just before 10:30pm local time.
Walton had relied on a reciprocal wildcard from Tennis Australia to avoid qualifying after his ranking slipped into triple digits last month. However, he made the most of the opportunity, rallying from 2-4 down in the deciding set to beat Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. The victory marked a career-best win for the Australian and was a moment of immense significance for him.
About eight hours later, Birrell – who had never won a match at the clay-court major – defied the odds by eliminating Pegula, 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. Despite losing the opening set and being down a break in the second, she fought back with determination. The 83rd-ranked Australian surged to a 5-2, double-break lead in the final set but could not serve out the match. Instead, she played an aggressive return game to break Pegula for the sixth time, shocking the tennis world.
An emotional Birrell buried her face in her hands as she came to terms with the biggest win of her life, while her coach Nicole Pratt celebrated in the stands. “I don’t really know what to say or think,” Birrell said. “When I saw the draw and I was playing Jessie, I knew it was going to be extremely tough. I really admire her as a player and as a person, and I just tried to take it one point at a time.”
Birrell’s victory was a testament to her resilience and skill. She admitted that her goal was simply to win one game and gradually build confidence. “I’m so happy that I was able to play probably the best match I’ve played on clay and during a grand slam, especially here. It’s really, really special.”
A Series of Surprises
Alex de Minaur also received a free pass to the third round, as his scheduled opponent, Belgian Alexander Blockx, withdrew due to an ankle injury sustained during a practice session with fellow player Joao Fonseca.
Walton is set to face American Zachary Svajda, who came from 3-5 down in the fourth set to defeat Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5. Meanwhile, Birrell will face Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova in the second round.
This marks the seventh time in 10 visits to Roland-Garros that world No.7 Medvedev has failed to make it past the first round. The Russian, a quarter-finalist in Paris in 2021, faced a dramatic downfall against Walton. He dropped his racquet in disbelief as Medvedev ballooned a forehand drive volley well behind the baseline to seal his shock defeat with a self-sabotaging final service game.
Walton ran over to celebrate with his coach Mark Draper in scenes reminiscent of when a player wins a grand slam title, such was his excitement at the career-best win. The Queenslander had lost his previous four matches against top-10 opponents, but credited his three-set victory over Medvedev – then ranked 15th – at last year’s Cincinnati Masters for fuelling his belief he could match it with the former world No.1.
A Rollercoaster Match
The match between Walton and Medvedev was a rollercoaster affair, lasting three hours and 22 minutes. Medvedev peppered Walton with more than 30 drop shots throughout the match, but suddenly started struggling to keep the ball in the court. There were still more twists to come, as Medvedev generated three more break points in the ensuing game, including one when Walton dangerously struck an overhead barely inside the sideline.
Medvedev unraveled quickly from there, putting a ghastly drop shot attempt into the net before doing the same on a backhand drive volley, then double-faulting for 0-40. A fourth straight sloppy error ended Medvedev’s tournament, so he had only himself to blame – but Walton put himself in position with aggressive shot-making from the outset and a willingness to finish points at the net.
This was the 27-year-old’s fourth main draw win at grand slam level, so his resume is far more modest than the man he conquered, summed up by him playing a pair of Challenger hardcourt events in China as his tune-up for Roland-Garros.
By contrast, Medvedev was one of the rare players this year to take a set off red-hot world No.1 Jannik Sinner in the Rome Masters semi-finals barely a week ago. The loss to Walton ended a typically dramatic claycourt campaign for the unpredictable Medvedev, who suffered a double-bagel defeat to Matteo Berrettini in Monte-Carlo in April.
“[It was] not an easy match. I didn’t play my best tennis,” Medvedev said. “He played good some moments, some moments not that good, and I managed to take the match 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.”
Heat and Resilience
Walton remained stoic throughout the wild ups and downs, whereas Medvedev was moaning about the heat before the first set was over, which comically caused his wife Daria, sitting courtside, to tell him to “behave.” “It’s definitely hotter than previous years that I’ve played here,” Walton said. “But we grow up in the heat [in Australia], we like the heat, so it makes the ball move faster through the air, which I think helped my game today, so I really like it when it’s hot in Paris.”
Walton served brilliantly in the first and third sets – making 75 and 83 per cent of his first serves, respectively – which enabled him to dictate play against Medvedev, who took up his usual return spot metres behind the baseline. But the Australian looked vulnerable whenever his percentages dipped, and Medvedev appeared to have averted the crisis when he reeled off nine of 11 games after dropping the third set.
Only one result looked likely at that stage, but Walton refused to wilt – and Medvedev was his own worst enemy.
It is the second straight year that Walton has reached the second round in the French capital, but he has never made the last 32 at a major. This is his best chance against 85th-ranked Svajda, who is making his debut at Roland-Garros.
Birrell and Walton are among six Australians to progress from the first round, joining de Minaur, James Duckworth, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Daria Kasatkina.
