French Open: Day 6 brings first 2 upsets with Svitolina and Dimitrov out

Alexander Zverev wins another five setter with his first win over a Top 50 player in a grand slam, but he had a better day than Rome Masters winner Elina Svitolina and ATP World Tour finals winner Grigor Dimitrov, both knocked out in the third round.

Alexander Zverev, world No. 3, has a lot to prove in grand slams, being the only player outside of the Big Four to own more than one Masters 1000 title in the last two decades. He’s never made it past a fourth round at a grand slam, however, having gone out in the first round at the French Open last year. His poor performance at Roland Garros is most surprising considering his record on clay, where he owns two of his Masters 1000 wins. But with his win over Damir Dzumhur, 6-2, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-5, it marks the first time the German has made it to the fourth round at the French Open, and the advancement for the second seed is significant.

“It was an amazing, high level match,” said Zverev afterwards.

The fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov had a fantastic year last year, with his first Masters 1000 title and the big surprise win at the ATP World Tour Finals, but is still looking for his first title this year, and now he’s out in a shock loss in straight sets to 30^th seed Fernando Verdasco, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4, having only equaled his best showing at the French Open, going out in the third round.

“I lost to him earlier this year I think in a tight match,” said Dimitrov about losing to him at Indian Wells earlier this year. “Today was pretty much the same. What can I say?

“It’s a shame, because physically I felt good, but I think — obviously I lost my nerves early on in the first set and after I lost that set.”

Fourth seed Elina Svitolina, an incredibly talented WTA player, was hoping to ride a wave of confidence coming into Roland Garros after winning a big title beforehand in Rome, but was sent packing in another shock loss in the third rounds, 6-3, 7-5 to Romania’s Mihaela Buzarnescu, who won her first grand slam match at the beginning of the week and is reminiscent of the surprise surge from Jelena Ostapenko that we saw last year.

“Today, really, I was off and couldn’t find my rhythm, my game. I was really struggling,” Svitolina said in her press conference. “On the other hand, she was playing great tennis. She was really, really on the ball.”

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Caroline Wozniacki is continuing her breezy, dominant run at Roland Garros with another impressive two set slam dunk over France’s Pauline Parmentier 6-0, 6-3.

Also looking to justify his comeback, Novak Djokovic has a lot to prove at this year’s French Open, and needed four sets — including a tight second set that he lost — to defeat Roberto Baptista-Agut, 6-4, 6-7(6), 7-6(4), 6-2, and shared some kind words with the Spaniard afterwards.

“Yeah, kind words we have at the end of the match,” Bautista Agut said in his press conference. “It’s a pleasure for me to play against Novak always.”

Kei Nishikori on the other hand had a much easier time beating Frenchman Giles Simone in his own comeback from injury, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3.

Winners on the women’s side included the following:

Other winners on the men’s side included:

Rain delayed the conclusion of the captivating Goffin-Monfils and Pouille-Khachanov matches. The remained of the third round matches conclude on Saturday, including players Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, viewable on Tennis Channel.