Stricker’s Strike, Stunner of Sinner Headline

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Most of the 12 months’s most memorable upsets got here on the Grand Slam levels, together with large wins from a house favorite on the Australian Open and a pair of rising stars on the US Open.

As we proceed to look again on the 2023 season, ATPTour.com counts down the 5 greatest shocks on the majors this 12 months — all of which got here in 5 units.

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5) Roland Garros R1, Seyboth Wild d. Medvedev 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
Brazilian qualifier and Roland Garros debutant Thiago Seyboth Wild scored his first Grand Slam main-draw win in fashion with a upset of second seed Daniil Medvedev — who entered on a six-match clay-court profitable streak after claiming his first tour-level title on the floor in Rome.

Coming into the match at No. 172 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, an aggressive Seyboth Wild made a dream begin and held two set factors for a two-set lead. However after cramping earlier within the second set, the 23-year-old couldn’t stop Medvedev from levelling the match and storming by way of set three quickly after.

Undeterred, Seyboth Wild rediscovered his attacking recreation to surge by way of the ultimate two units. After 4 hours, quarter-hour, he closed out the upset with a giant forehand winner, ending with a 69 per cent win price (38/55) on internet factors.

“I’ve watched Daniil play for my total junior profession, up till at the moment. Taking part in on this court docket towards this sort of participant and beating him is a dream come true,” mentioned the Brazilian. “Strolling on court docket I simply needed to get to the web as a lot as doable and use my forehand towards his and it labored fairly effectively.”

Seyboth Wild received 4 ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2023 — two both aspect of Roland Garros — and reached a career-high Pepperstone ATP Rating of No. 74 in September.

What an upset! 🤯

Qualifier Seyboth Wild 🇧🇷 takes out the No. 2 seed, Daniil Medvedev, in 5 units! 👏@rolandgarros | #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/hiUHTRwZR7

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 30, 2023

4) US Open R2, Zhang d. Ruud 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2
Zhang Zhizhen continued his speedy rise on the ATP Tour with a serving to of Grand Slam revenge towards returning US Open finalist Casper Ruud.

Earlier within the season, the Chinese language star was crushed by Ruud at Roland Garros, the place the Norwegian reached the ultimate for the second straight 12 months. However Zhang ensured there can be no repeat last run for Ruud in New York by notching the largest win of his profession towards the fifth seed.

With the assistance of 59 winners, together with 18 aces, Zhang turned the primary Chinese language man to earn a Prime 5 win for the reason that begin of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 1973. By using his highly effective forehand and serve, Zhang made up for his US Open heartbreak in 2022, when he missed out on seven match factors in a first-round defeat to Tim van Rijthoven.

“Final 12 months on the US Open, I can say it was a foul reminiscence. However this 12 months is somewhat bit completely different,” mentioned the 27-year-old, who went on to complete the season contained in the Prime 60.

Picture: Sarah Stier/Getty Pictures

3) Roland Garros R1, Altmaier d. Sinner 6-7(0), 7-6(7), 1-6, 7-6(4), 7-5
In a five-hour, 26-minute marathon, Daniel Altmaier saved two match factors within the fourth set earlier than Jannik Sinner erased 4 within the match’s last recreation. The German claimed the primary five-set win of his profession by serving out the victory on the second time of asking, ending the Roland Garros run of the in-form eighth seed, who reached the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo and the quarters in Barcelona.

Altmaier confirmed nerves of metal to save lots of 15 of 21 break factors and supreme endurance to recuperate after Sinner appeared to take command of the match in a one-sided third set. The victory additionally avenged a five-set defeat to the Italian within the pair’s solely earlier Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly on the 2022 US Open.

“The competitors says all of it,” Altmaier mentioned after shifting on to the third spherical in Paris for the second time. “We’ve had historic matches with so many match factors… I don’t know should you can name this an ‘historic’ match, however I feel it was one to recollect.”

Picture: Julian Finney/Getty Pictures

2) Australian Open R2, Popyrin d Fritz 6-7(4), 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-2
There was a wave of American success this 12 months in Melbourne, however on his house turf, Alexei Popyrin made certain Taylor Fritz didn’t be a part of the occasion. The fiery Aussie scored the standout shock of an upset-filled Australian Open with a big-serving show in Melbourne — a consequence made all of the extra stunning by the opponents’ contrasting fortunes within the earlier season.

Popyrin earned simply 5 tour-level wins in 2022 however kickstarted the brand new marketing campaign along with his fourth Prime 10 win and his second on the Australian Open (d. Dominic Thiem in 2019). Behind 19 aces, Popyrin reached the third spherical for the third time at his house main. He confronted simply two break factors in a match of razor-thin margins — one within the fourth and fifth units — and recovered after lacking out on a match level within the fourth-set tie-break.

“That is the dream for me, and I do not need to get up in any respect,” he mentioned in an emotional on-court interview. Simply earlier than that, he addressed the gang as they chanted his title: “You guys have been simply unbelievable. Oh my god, that is loopy. I actually could not have finished it with out you guys. This win means a lot to me.”

1) US Open R2, Stricker d. Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-7(2), 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-3
On the identical day as Zhang’s Ruud upset, Dominic Stricker scored his maiden Prime 10 win so as to add to Stefanos Tsitsipas’ US Open woes. The 21-year-old qualifier, who capped his breakthrough season on the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by NEOM, superior to the third spherical at a significant for the primary time with a gutsy efficiency in his New York main-draw debut.

In a four-hour, 10-minute epic, the lefty battled again from 3-5 within the fourth set and performed his finest tennis down the stretch to maintain the seventh-seeded Tsitsipas seeking his first US Open fourth-round look. Stricker misplaced simply 4 factors on his first serve (19/23) within the last set and struck 78 winners within the marathon match.

“I got here out at the moment fairly effectively. I felt good from the primary set on. It was a tricky battle however I’m simply tremendous blissful proper now,” mentioned Stricker, who rose from World No. 128 in New York to a year-end end contained in the Prime 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. “I used to be down 3-5 after which I got here again within the fourth set. I do not know the way, however I did it in some way after which I stored taking part in very excessive stage tennis. I’m a bit speechless however it’s a nice day.”

Picture: Sarah Stier/Getty Pictures