INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Tallon Griekspoor upset No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) in a marathon second-round conflict Friday on the BNP Paribas Open.
Griekspoor collapsed on the court docket after changing his sixth match level to finish an absorbing 3-hour, 7-minute affair beneath sunny skies on Stadium One court docket.
It was Griekspoor’s first win over a top-five opponent in 19 makes an attempt.
“Lastly,” Griekspoor wrote with a smiley face on the TV digicam lens after the hard-fought victory.
Zverev served for the match within the second set however did not get it over the road, and Griekspoor received the second-set tiebreaker to pressure a decider.
Griekspoor didn’t convert 5 match factors whereas serving up 6-5 within the third, however regrouped to win the deciding tiebreak.
The 28-year-old from the Netherlands improved to 2-6 towards Zverev, who’s ranked No. 2.
“It was such a psychological factor. I misplaced to him 5 occasions final 12 months and had absolute heartbreak at Roland Garros, the place I used to be up a double break within the fifth,” Griekspoor stated. “I performed so many battles towards him and had probabilities, however all of them went his manner. I’m extremely pleased with myself from this efficiency, and to get it over the road.”
Griekspoor, ranked No. 43, will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard within the third spherical.
The loss got here eight days after Zverev additionally was the highest seed when he was upset by American teenager Learner Tien 6-3, 6-4 in Acapulco, Mexico.
Zverev has struggled along with his type since shedding to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner within the Australian Open closing in January.
“I am simply not taking part in good tennis in the intervening time. It is so simple as that,” he advised reporters. “I am not taking part in a degree that I need to play, positively not taking part in anyplace close to what I performed in Australia.
“I am simply disillusioned with my recreation.”
Zverev, who trails Sinner within the rankings and can stay at No. 2 even when No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz defends his Indian Wells title, stated he must regroup.
“Proper now, it is not clicking,” Zverev stated. “I’ve to discover a approach to make that occur.”
Fourth seed Casper Ruud fell to American Marcos Giron 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-2 within the different huge upset of the day.
Giron was ecstatic after stunning the Norwegian, leaping into the air and shouting as the group erupted when he reached the third spherical of the event for a second time.
“That was a tremendous win. Will probably be one I look again on with wonderful reminiscences,” Giron stated. “To do it right here at my favourite event is particular. It was the event I got here to after I was youthful, and it was a tremendous environment.”
In different males’s outcomes Friday, Tommy Paul, the No. 10 seed, eased previous fellow American Tristan Boyer 6-3, 6-1 in entrance of packed stands on court docket three.
Paul, who reached the semifinals at Indian Wells final 12 months, was among the many gamers who fell sick due to a abdomen bug final month on the Mexican Open in Acapulco, however stated he has totally recovered.
Paul subsequent faces Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who defeated twenty third seed Jiri Lehecka 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
No. 8 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas didn’t convert his first match level whereas his opponent was down on the court docket however finally prevailed 6-2, 6-4 over Thiago Seyboth Wild.
Holger Rune, seeded twelfth, will face 18th-seeded Ugo Humbert within the third spherical after they each loved straight-sets victories Friday.
The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
