Roland Garros, Matteo Arnaldi also smiles: eliminated Tsitsipas in four sets
Matteo Arnaldi stars in the latest twist of a crazy Thursday at Roland Garros. In fact, the Ligurian, number 104 in the ATP rankings, succeeds in the feat of eliminating from the Parisian Slam a name that is always emblazoned and lofty like that of Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek, now number 79 in the world, falls in only four sets from the total duration of almost three hours and 20 minutes and with the score of 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. The azure will return to the court in the third round, where he will face Belgium’s Raphael Collignon.
This is not the first time Arnaldi and Tsitsipas have faced each other: the two had already crossed paths at Roland Garros in 2024, but on that occasion the Greek prevailed in the round of 16 with a score of 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-2, then qualified for the quarters where he was eliminated by future tournament winner Carlos Alcaraz. This time, the script was reversed, with the Ligurian able to take a heavy revenge against an opponent who, despite a decline in performance in recent years, remains an absolute household name in world tennis.
The victory over Tsitsipas takes on an even sweeter flavor when one considers Arnaldi’s path in this Roland Garros. The Ligurian had already overcome a first round that was anything but easy, beating Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands – the number 29 seed – at the end of a marathon of exactly four hours with a score of 6-7(9), 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-3, showing character and mental solidity in coming back from a two-set disadvantage.
Arnaldi’s next opponent, Raphael Collignon, is a Belgian class of 2002 on the rise. The young man recently confirmed his excellent form by winning the Atkinsons Monza Open, an ATP Challenger 125 tournament, for the second year in a row, where he overcame Croatian Dino Prizmic in the final with a score of 7-6, 6-3. An opponent therefore in confidence, which Arnaldi will have to face with the same determination shown in the first two Parisian rounds.
Arnaldi’s victory represents one of the few happy notes in a very black Thursday for Italian tennis. The day had been marked by the elimination of Jannik Sinner, who collapsed in five sets against Juan Manuel Cerundolo on the Philippe Chatrier after dominating the first two partials and even leading 5-1 in the third, the victim of a devastating physical collapse related to the extreme temperatures – with a perceived 36 degrees on center court. The defeat halted the world number one’s extraordinary streak of consecutive victories at 30. Shortly afterwards had also come the knockout of Luciano Darderi, eliminated in five sets by Argentine Francisco Comesana with a score of 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Holding high the Italian flag, in addition to Arnaldi, was Matteo Berrettini, who was able to beat Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech – world number 25 and host – in just three sets with a clear 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Against this backdrop of general bitterness for the Italian colors, the feats of Arnaldi and Berrettini thus shine in their own light, keeping the Azzurri’s hopes alive in a Roland Garros 2026 that has already proved to be full of surprises.
