Tallon Griekspoor stunned top-seeded Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4) in the second round at Indian Wells on Friday, avenging a devastating loss to the German at Roland Garros last year. Zverev, the world number two who is heading the field of the prestigious ATP Masters event with No. 1 Jannik Sinner serving a three-month drugs ban, is the first Indian Wells men’s top seed to lose his opening match since Andy Murray in 2017. It was a cherished win for Griekspoor, who had lost five straight matches — including four last year — to the German.
That included a five-setter at the French Open in which Griekspoor was up a double break in the fifth in a defeat he called “absolute heartbreak”.
“It was such a mental thing. I played so many battles against him and had chances but they all went his way,” said Griekspoor, who claimed his first victory over a top-five player in his 19th attempt.
“I am incredibly proud of myself from this performance and to get it over the line,” the 28-year-old added.
Broken to trail 5-6 in the third set, Zverev saved five match points in a dramatic 12th game, finally converting his fifth break point of the game to force the tiebreaker.
But Griekspoor sealed it on his first chance in the decider.
The defeat in a tension-packed Stadium Court clash continued a lackluster run for Zverev since he fell to Sinner in the Australian Open final. Following that loss he has made early exits at Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Acapulco.
“I always struggle against him,” Zverev said of Griekspoor. “He’s a complicated player for me, for sure, even though I win, but a lot of them are tight matches.
“He played a good match. There’s no question about that. But I have to look at myself a little bit, and it’s nowhere near where I want to be.”
American Marcos Giron joined Griekspoor in posting his first win over a top-five player, upsetting fourth seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-2.
Iga Swiatek, the women’s defending champion in this combined ATP and WTA 1000 event, eased through her opener 6-2, 6-0 against French veteran Caroline Garcia.
Swiatek, vying to become the first three-time women’s champion, said she was happiest that she maintained her focus until the end.
“The conditions weren’t easy,” she said. “It was pretty windy out here.”
Medvedev under the lights
Russian Daniil Medvedev, runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz the past two years, headlined the night session taking on China’s Bu Yunchaokete.
If he can finally break through for a first title in the California desert Medvedev would join Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as the only men to win all of the current six ATP Masters hard court titles.
Women’s world number four Jessica Pegula of the United States and 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva, who became the youngest ever WTA 1000 champion in Dubai last month, were also in action later.
Former champions Cameron Norrie and Elena Rybakina both advanced, seventh-seeded Rybakina beating Suzan Lamens 6-3, 6-3 and Norrie, unseeded this year, rallying to beat Czech Jiri Lehecka 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Colombia’s Camila Osorio, who ousted four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the first round, bowed out with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 loss to Denmark’s Clara Tauson.
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