Deutsche Sensation in Roland Garros!
Tennis pro Daniel Altmaier is in the third round of the French Open after a marathon match over 5:26 hours against Jannik Sinner.
The 24-year-old won 6: 7 (0: 7), 7: 6 (9: 7), 1: 6, 7: against the eighth seeded Italian, who had defeated Altmaier in five sets at the US Open 2022. 6 (7:4), 7:5. Altmaier converted his fifth match point.
Afterwards he fought back tears – in vain. With a cracked voice, the German outsider tried to explain to the raging audience on the Suzanne Lenglen court how he had managed the surprise coup in the past five and a half hours.
Altmaier: “The emotions were crazy”
“I don’t know if it was a historic match, but it was one to remember,” Altmaier said. The 24-year-old had fended off two match points and kept his heart on the pitch.
Even before Alexander Zverev’s return to the Philippe Chatrier court in the evening, the Kempen resident set a German highlight at the French Open. “The emotions were crazy,” said Altmaier, who meets Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrow in the third round.
“The win means a lot to me for my career, I’ve waited a long time for this moment. Today was just phenomenal,” he said Eurosport.
Altmaier wants to repeat the success story of 2020
Altmaier, who celebrated his second career success via a top ten player, is now hoping to repeat his 2020 success story. At that time he had advanced to the round of 16 in Paris. On the other hand, the last German player eliminated was Anna-Lena Friedsam.
In the second largest stadium in Roland Garros, Altmaier presented himself from his best side – right from the start he met Sinner, who was eighth, at eye level, but this time, unlike at the US Open last year, he was successful.
The player from Kempen acted consistently and largely flawlessly – again and again he scored at the net and delighted the fans in the well-attended grandstand.
Altmaier forces the decision-making process and remains courageous
Sinner served in the fourth set to win the match, but Altmaier fought the defeat and forced the decision-making process.
There, too, he remained courageous and attacked his opponent, who seemed increasingly helpless. At the end of the fifth set he managed the decisive break to the frenetic cheering of the fans.
The evening before, Zverev’s game was scheduled for late Thursday evening on the Philippe Chatrier court.
Zverev injured his ankle on this court last year at the peak of his playing skills in the semifinals of the French Open against clay court king Rafael Nadal.
A seven-month break followed, the Hamburger is still looking for his top form after a mixed season so far.
With Sports Information Service (SID)
2023-06-01 16:43:21
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