French Open 2026: Daniil Medvedev knocked out in first round
What's the story
Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev continues his torrid run at Grand Slams. Adam Walton knocked him out in the opening round of the 2026 French Open. He won the five-set thriller 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 at Court Suzanne Lenglen. Medvedev has now recorded a first-round exit in three of his last four French Open campaigns. Here are the key stats.
Summary
How the match panned out
After 2-2 in the first set, Walton broke first and eventually won 6-2. However, Medvedev let him win a solitary game in the second set. In the third set, Walton compounded his early lead into a double break and decisively won 6-1. Paradoxically, the fourth set saw Medvedev prevail with a double break. The latter held his serve at 4-2 in the decider, but Walton rallied past him to win 6-4.
Stats
A look at match stats
Medvedev, who had a 143-140 lead on points over Walton, fired 54 winners. He also served nine aces compared to Walton's three. However, the former world number one could convert only five of his 21 break points. Walton had fewer unforced errors (46) than Medvedev (60) in the match. He had a win percentage of 71 on his first serve.
Numbers
Contrasting numbers
Walton, ranked 97th, claimed his maiden win against a Top-10 opponent. On the other hand, Medvedev is now 10-10 at Roland Garros. Only once has he gone past the fourth round in Paris. Overall, the former world number one has a win-loss record of 92-35 at Grand Slams. He won the US Open in 2021, his only Grand Slam title.