Aussies Walton and Birrell dish out the upsets at Roland Garros

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Daniil Medvedev[/a] has never been comfortable ​in the Roland Garros spotlight and the Russian crashed [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/walton-a-jNRjAU1U/?mid=UTYIaJ2t"]6-2 1-6 6-1 1-6 6-4[/a][/b] to Australian wildcard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/walton-adam/jNRjAU1U/"]Adam Walton[/a] for his seventh opening-round defeat in 10 appearances at the Grand Slam.[/p][p]"[b]I don't want to find excuses,[/b]" he said.[/p][p]"I know why I don't really play my best at Roland Garros, but if I say it, it's excuses. So I'll keep it to myself.[/p][p]"[b]Maybe I should consider playing a tournament before[/b] (it)[b], ‌which I usually don't do before Grand Slams, but when it doesn't work, why not? That's the only thing I'll consider next year.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="8f77cc19-ac1e-445d-aea7-eba52890b0ff" url="https://x.com/TheTennisLetter/status/2059321064682131944" social-type="twitter" /][p]Walton said hailing from Queensland and being comfortable in furnace-like conditions helped him prevail.[/p][p]"[b]I grew up in the heat. I've always preferred when the court gives my shots extra, which is what the heat does,[/b]" he added.[/p][p]"I seem to be able to last. I'm not saying I last better than him, but I last better than probably the field in the heat.[/p][p]"[b]Just given the way I play, that's one aspect that is huge for me, because I'm not the most talented player out there.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="bf8d0e02-a4a1-4a4b-be34-2691d1d54ff0" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dtvYvKrfhM" social-type="youtube" /][p]Walton was joined in the next round by compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-minaur-alex/EZgZ9Xfh/"]Alex de Minaur[/a], who advanced after rising Belgian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blockx-alexander/xll0TzGG/"]Alexander Blockx[/a] was forced to withdraw with a right ankle sprain, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muller-alexandre/nLLdS9q0/"]Alexandre Muller[/a] retired injured trailing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tsitsipas-stefanos/hb6oWfc6/"]Stefanos Tsitsipas[/a] [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/muller-a-nLLdS9q0/tsitsipas-s-hb6oWfc6/?mid=QDgooKmm"]6-2 3-0[/a][/b].[/p][p]Briton [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norrie-cameron/pvzhJGY8/"]Cameron Norrie[/a] pulled out injured from a major for the first time as a ‌rib issue meant he was unable to continue after going down 7-[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/norrie-c-pvzhJGY8/vallejo-d-U5RiWEZu/?mid=GpXQccXh"][b]6(7) 2-0[/b][/a].[/p][p]American Learner Tien dished out the bagels during his [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/garin-ch-U73k5I15/tien-l-xUHOBJK6/?mid=zqJoSar1"]6-0 ​2-6 6-0 6-2[/a][/b] win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garin-cristian/U73k5I15/"]Cristian Garin[/a], while compatriots [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/svajda-zachary/vynGYhMa/"]Zachary Svajda[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/navarro-emma/WxLdKcAs/"]Emma Navarro[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jovic-iva/bmWvBlnL/"]Iva Jovic[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/liu-claire/8KHYNHRA/"]Claire Liu[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/li-ann/rwvAgOWm/"]Ann Li[/a] all ‌went through with little trouble.[/p][p]A day after French favourite [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-gael/fm7G8o0m/"]Gael Monfils[/a] went out of his home Grand Slam for the final time, Parisian fans were given a glimpse of the future as teenager [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kouame-moise/zylrzjzh/"]Moise Kouame[/a] downed 2014 U.S. Open champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cilic-marin/nLoK5syL/"]Marin Cilic[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cilic-m-nLoK5syL/mohama-k-zylrzjzh/?mid=pMne85iS"][b]7-6(4) 6-2 6-1[/b][/a].[/p][embed guid="ca1ded6b-7853-4eba-84a4-2839dd0fa740" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9i-wr76t_Q" social-type="youtube" /][p]Victory meant the 17-year-old wildcard became the youngest man to win a Grand Slam main draw match in 17 years.[/p][p]"[b]It's a lot of emotion, it's exceptional,[/b]" Kouame said.[/p][p]"Coming into this tournament, I didn't know what to expect.[/p][p]"[b]The ⁠team and I worked hard to be as ready as possible.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="effca475-5cdd-4ba0-be43-e60ef92e5dad" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bocsyys7wFI" social-type="youtube" /][p]American ⁠fifth seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pegula-jessica/KdojxrAR/"]Jessica Pegula[/a] became the biggest casualty in ‌the women's draw when she was beaten [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/birrell-k-S4ljFw3g/pegula-j-KdojxrAR/?mid=zTIcr3FF"][b]1-6 6-3 6-3[/b][/a] by Australian Kimberly Birrell.[/p][p]Reigning Paris champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauff-coco/f5BXmEH6/"]Coco Gauff[/a] recovered from a sluggish start to outclass [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/townsend-taylor/Y9jUuHka/"]Taylor Townsend[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/gauff-c-f5BXmEH6/townsend-t-Y9jUuHka/?mid=2atB9uEE"][b] 6-4 6-0[/b][/a] with several Americans also progressing despite a heat wave in the French capital making conditions ‌challenging for players and fans.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]Jannik Sinner[/a] began his quest for a maiden French Open title to complete the career Grand Slam with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/sinner-j-6HdC3z4H/tabur-c-fHPZtbgE/?mid=dOYtfFWH"][b]6-1 6-3 6-4[/b][/a] win against Frenchman Clement ‌Tabur in the evening session on Court [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pech-philippe/vuLnNv7i/"]Philippe Chatrier[/a].[/p][p]The Italian's only mistake in a near-flawless performance was to give a bit ‌of hope to Tabur in the third set, but the 24-year-old was always a cut above as he claimed his 30th victory in a ‌row.[/p][p]Dressed in a black-and-red mesh outfit and wearing a diamond necklace, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sabalenka-aryna/vyhksgUB/"]Sabalenka[/a] dismissed Spain's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bouzas-maneiro-jessica/Gj20DdaG/"]Jessica Bouzas[/a] Maneiro [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/bouzas-maneiro-j-Gj20DdaG/sabalenka-a-vyhksgUB/?mid=GlwwJnn4"][b]6-4 6-2[/b][/a] ‌before brushing off concerns about the added flourish by saying she was completely at ease.[/p][embed guid="32159ba6-e5bd-4d57-8b02-d28d2b83d19c" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW4lLX3T-C4" social-type="youtube" /][p]"[b]I like to challenge myself,[/b]" the Belarusian told reporters.[/p][p]"But at the same time, the dress is super light ... I don't feel the dress on me. I was thinking it's going to be super hot wearing black, but it doesn't feel ‌like black colour on me, I feel really comfortable.[/p][p]"[b]And the diamonds, I don't ⁠really feel the heaviness of it, but I can imagine how it ‌looks from the outside ... for me, it's important to look good. If I feel good looks-wise, I perform better and I feel great.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="fc85a28a-d74f-4845-b58b-2ee78b50ac55" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwXOdY6wqTk" social-type="youtube" /][p]While Sabalenka ​set the tone, former world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osaka-naomi/MDM4BKiA/"]Osaka[/a] added a touch of Parisian flair as she walked onto Court Suzanne Lenglen in a sequined blouse and a black mesh floor-length train before unveiling a layered yellow-brown and gold match dress.[/p][p]The ​tennis was equally sparkling as the 16th seed overcame tricky German [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/siegemund-laura/ETkoNgxJ/"]Laura Siegemund[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/osaka-n-MDM4BKiA/siegemund-l-ETkoNgxJ/?mid=8tH5tspS"][b]6-3 7-6(3)[/b][/a] before hinting at the inspiration behind her match outfit.[/p][p]"[b]I feel like ... you know the Eiffel Tower at night when it's sparkly? I think I look like that a ⁠bit,[/b]" Osaka said.[/p][embed guid="fd609e17-8f07-471e-8e85-8a844b39a967" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV5Dyyin0vo" social-type="youtube" /]