The French Open is disrupted for German tennis players due to rainfall.
At the French Open, progress is painstakingly slow. The poor weather has dramatically reduced the number of matches being played as planned. Two German tennis professionals have also been affected. Daniel Altmaier faced an entirely different kind of "storm" against Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Paris sees fewer tennis matches and more umbrellas: The terrible weather conditions are leaving the French Open organizers nervous, and they are not the only ones feeling the heat. Two German players, only Altmaier was able to participate in his second-round match, but unfortunately, he could not deliver the shock result against Stefanos Tsitsipas as expected.
Altmaier struggled initially, finding himself outclassed by Tsitsipas, but he soon recovered and engaged in a high-level battle with the favorite. Despite losing 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, Altmaier was applauded for his commendable performance in the third and fourth sets. He summed up his experience: "That was quite a storm in the beginning, then it calmed down. By the way, both in terms of play and tactics." He donned a more positive perspective on the matter: "After changing my outfit, I felt like the match against the world number nine changed from a one-sided contest to an open exchange of blows." Although disappointed with the loss, Altmaier found solace in the idea that "it was a valuable lesson, a satisfying match." Ranked No. 83 in the world, Altmaier was satisfied with his effort.
Alcaraz finds difficulty against qualifiers
In previous years, Altmaier had pulled off an upset against Jannik Sinner in the second round of the French Open. This time, he was unable to replicate that previous success against Tsitsipas, who dominated the match from the outset. The German referred to the Greek's performance as "brilliantly presented." In the third set, following a tactical break after the second set, Altmaier did manage to compete on even terms with Tsitsipas. Even in the fourth set, Altmaier managed to take the lead with a break, only to see Tsitsipas level the score and eventually win the match after 2 hours and 43 minutes.
Initially scheduled for a match against Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada/No. 21) and Zizou Bergs (Belgium), qualifiers Henri Squire and Maximilian Marterer had to wait as the matches were delayed due to rain in Paris. The focus shifted to the covered main courts for the time being. In a noteworthy match on Court Philippe Chatrier, Carlos Alcaraz, the title contender from Spain, had to battle against Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong, eventually winning 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
Scheduled matches for Thursday hesitantly await players such as Squire, Marterer, Alexander Zverev, and Jan-Lennard Struff. Zverev is up against Belgian David Goffin, while Struff will play against 19th-seeded Kazakh Alexander Bublik, provided the weather cooperates.
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Despite the challenging weather conditions, Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open continue to bring top-tier tennis action. Regardless of the rainfall, German tennis player Daniel Altmaier fought valiantly against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French Open, showcasing his resilience and skill in Grand Slam tournaments.
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