
Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante captured his maiden Top 20 win on Wednesday at Roland Garros, where he upset former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the third round at a major for the first time.
Tsitsipas entered the clash holding a 27-8 record at the clay-court Slam. He was a set away from winning the title in Paris four years ago and advanced to the quarter-finals in 2023 and 2024. However, the three-time Monte-Carlo champion was unable to use his vast experience and clay-court pedigree to his advantage against Gigante, who is competing in just his second major main draw.
GLORIOUS FROM GIGANTE 👏
— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 28, 2025
The qualifier captures his biggest ever win with a 6-4 5-7 6-2 6-4 win over Tsitsipas 🔥@rolandgarros #rolandgarros #gigante pic.twitter.com/CmPgP3O5Sa
The 23-year-old Italian pushed Tsitsipas off balance with his heavy forehand and array of backhand angles, while he crucially saved all eight break points he faced in the fourth set to seal victory in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.
Into the third round of a major for the first time, Gigante is up 37 spots to No. 130 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will next play American Ben Shelton.
Meanwhile, Tsitsipas has fallen to No. 25 in the Live Rankings and is set to drop out of the Top 20 for the first time since August 2018. The 26-year-old’s latest defeat further highlights his struggles in the past 18 months.
Tsitsipas fell out of the Top 10 in February 2024 and has failed to advance beyond the fourth round in seven of the past eight majors he has played. The former Nitto ATP Finals champion lifted the trophy at the ATP 500 event in Dubai earlier this year, but is 17th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.
Tommy Paul escaped the same fate as Tsitsipas with a gutsy 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 win against Marton Fucsovics. The Hungarian led 5-3 in the fourth set and was just two points away from improving to 3-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, but was unable to dispatch Paul, who earned just the second win of his career from two-sets-to-love down.
By reaching the third round, Paul has matched his best result in Paris (R3, 2024). The 28-year-old will next meet Karen Khachanov after the 24th seed also prevailed in five sets on Wednesday. The 29-year-old defeated Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Paul is up two spots to 10th in the Live ATP Rankings. The American arrives in the French capital in good form, having advanced to the semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome.