French Open 2025: Walton stuns Medvedev in five-set thriller at Roland Garros
Synopsis
World No. 97 Adam Walton, playing his first clay match of the season, came back from a break down in the fifth set to eliminate world No. 5 Daniil Medvedev at Roland Garros — Medvedev's seventh first-round exit in 10 French Open visits and his fourth five-set loss at the event. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Moise Kouame became the youngest Frenchman to win at Roland Garros since 1991.
Key Takeaways
Adam Walton (world No.
97 ) defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 in 3 hours 22 minutes on 26 May 2025 at Roland Garros.
It was Medvedev's seventh first-round exit in 10 French Open appearances , leaving him with a 0-4 record in five-set matches at the event.
Walton, playing his first clay match of the season, came from 2-4 down in the fifth set to win four consecutive games.
Walton cited his Cincinnati Masters win over Medvedev last year as the source of his belief.
Seventeen-year-old Moise Kouame became the youngest Frenchman to win at Roland Garros since 1991 , defeating Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-1 on debut.
Walton next faces world No.
108 Zachary Svajda in the second round.
Australian wildcard Adam Walton produced one of the most dramatic upsets of Roland Garros 2025 on Tuesday, 26 May, defeating world No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in a five-set battle — 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 — over three hours and 22 minutes on the Suzanne-Lenglen Court in Paris. The victory, the biggest of Walton's career, was also his first over a top-10 player.
A Match of Wild Swings
The contest was defined by extraordinary momentum shifts, with each player dominating alternate sets before the decider settled it. Walton was forced to dig deep in the Paris heat, reportedly taking a salt tablet during a timeout at the changeover in the second set. Medvedev appeared to have seized control when he moved to a 4-2 lead in the fifth, but Walton reeled off four consecutive games to clinch the match as the Russian's composure crumbled.
Medvedev's Roland Garros Nightmare Deepens
The loss extended Medvedev's miserable record at the French Open — this was his seventh first-round exit in 10 appearances at the clay-court major. His record in five-set matches at Roland Garros now stands at a dismal 0-4. Notably, the former US Open champion was also caught on camera receiving an on-court reprimand from his wife during the match, adding an unusual subplot to his latest Paris disappointment. This is the third consecutive year Medvedev has failed to progress beyond the opening round at Roland Garros.
Walton's Belief Rooted in Cincinnati
World No. 97 Walton, playing his first clay-court match of the season, credited last year's win over Medvedev at the Cincinnati Masters as the source of his confidence. 'Beating him in Cincinnati definitely gave me the belief today. I knew I could do it. I believed. Just really happy with the performance. Just really excited right now,' Walton said after the match. He also acknowledged the difficulty of the contest: 'Pretty tired now. It was an up-and-down match. I felt like the ebbs and flows of the match were quite large today. Just really proud of my efforts in the fifth set to come from a break down to get the win. It's huge.'
French Wildcards Steal the Show
Walton was not the only wildcard making headlines on day two at Roland Garros. Seventeen-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame stunned former US Open champion Marin Cilic on his Grand Slam debut, winning 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-1 on Court Simonne-Mathieu. Backed by a roaring home crowd, Kouame — who is nearly half Cilic's age — became the youngest Frenchman to win at Roland Garros since 1991. He will next face Adolfo Daniel Vallejo after Britain's Cameron Norrie withdrew from his first-round match.
What's Next
Walton advances to the second round, where he will face world No. 108 Zachary Svajda of the United States. The upset raises fresh questions about Medvedev's ability to perform on clay at the highest level, with his Roland Garros record now among the most lopsided of any top-10 player in the Open Era.
Point of View
Four five-set losses, and a pattern of unravelling under the specific pressures of Paris clay suggest this is not bad luck but a deep technical and psychological misalignment with the surface. What makes Tuesday's loss more striking is the opponent: a world No. 97 wildcard playing his first clay match of the year. The Cincinnati precedent Walton cited is telling — Medvedev's losses appear to compound his doubt rather than recalibrate his approach. For a player of his calibre, the French Open is fast becoming an annual credibility question he cannot answer.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Adam Walton and why is his win significant?
Adam Walton is an Australian tennis player ranked world No. 97, who entered Roland Garros 2025 on a wildcard. His five-set win over Daniil Medvedev on 26 May is the biggest victory of his career and his first over a top-10 player.
What is Daniil Medvedev's record at the French Open?
Medvedev has now suffered seven first-round exits in 10 appearances at Roland Garros. His record in five-set matches at the event stands at 0-4, making Paris his most consistently difficult Grand Slam.
How did Walton overcome a 2-4 deficit in the fifth set?
Walton won four consecutive games from 2-4 down in the fifth set as Medvedev's game fell apart in the closing stages. Walton credited his belief to a previous win over Medvedev at the Cincinnati Masters.
Who is Moise Kouame and what record did he set?
Moise Kouame is a 17-year-old French wildcard who defeated former US Open champion Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-1 on his Grand Slam debut. He became the youngest Frenchman to win at Roland Garros since 1991.
Who does Walton play in the second round of Roland Garros 2025?
Walton will face world No. 108 Zachary Svajda of the United States in the second round, after Svajda's first-round opponent Cameron Norrie withdrew from the tournament.
