Daijiworld Media Network- Paris

Paris, May 29: In a major upset at Roland Garros, Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante pulled off the biggest win of his career on Wednesday, stunning world No. 9 and former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas in four sets — 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 — to storm into the third round of the French Open for the very first time.

The 23-year-old Gigante, who had never before reached the third round of a Grand Slam and is playing only his second major main draw, delivered a fearless performance to claim his maiden victory over a Top 20 player. The result will also see Tsitsipas, a finalist in Paris in 2021, fall out of the Top 20 in the ATP rankings for the first time since August 2018.

Tsitsipas, who came into the clash with a formidable 27-8 record at the French Open, failed to match Gigante’s energy and precision on Court Simonne-Mathieu. The three-time Monte-Carlo Masters champion looked out of rhythm as the Italian outplayed him with heavy forehands, smart angles, and gritty defence.

What proved pivotal was Gigante’s resilience under pressure — particularly in the fourth set, where he saved all eight break points he faced. The young Italian never allowed the Greek star to settle, finishing with a flourish to complete the biggest win of his fledgling career.

With this breakthrough, Gigante has soared 37 spots in the ATP Live Rankings to reach a career-best No. 130 and will now face American Ben Shelton in the next round.

Meanwhile, Tsitsipas’s downward spiral continues. Once a consistent force on the tour, the 26-year-old has now exited before the quarterfinal stage in seven of his last eight Grand Slam appearances. Although he lifted the ATP 500 title in Dubai earlier this year, he now finds himself languishing at No. 25 in the Live Rankings and 17th in the ATP Live Race to Turin.

The shock result adds to the drama of this year’s French Open, as young talents continue to rise while seasoned stars struggle to maintain their footing on the sport’s grandest stages.