PARIS (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas went out in the second round of the French Open on Wednesday, losing 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to unseeded Matteo Gigante for his earliest exit at Roland-Garros since 2018.
The big-serving Greek reached the French Open final in 2021, losing in five sets to Novak Djokovic after winning the first two sets. He got into the quarterfinals here last year and the year before, and also made the semifinals at Roland-Garros in 2020, where he lost to Djokovic.
“I expected bigger things from myself these two weeks,” said Tsitsipas, who also lost in the second round in 2018. “I seemed to be playing immature sometimes during the match.”
The 26-year-old Greek berated himself for gifting Gigante some points. The 20th-seeded Tsitsipas hit 49 unforced errors on Court Simonne-Mathieu.
“I wasn’t fully present in the moment,” he said. “So I would describe that (as) immaturity, not knowing how to handle those situations.”
Tsitsipas was troubled throughout by the No. 167-ranked Gigante's drop shot and athleticism.
Gigante sealed the victory with an ace, and the unheralded Italian received a friendly hug at the net from Tsitsipas.
“I have to give credit to my opponent, he played incredible tennis," Tsitsipas said. “He handled the pressure moments very well.”
Gigante has not won a title on the ATP tour and he had never previously been beyond the first round at a major tournament.
“For sure was my big(gest) win,” he said.
It was a second straight major with an early loss against an unseeded player for Tsitsipas — the 2023 Australian Open runner-up — following his first-round defeat to Alex Michelsen at the Australian Open earlier this year.
“I just need to use my experience a little bit more wisely,” Tsitsipas said.
The 23-year-old Gigante faces 13th-seeded American Ben Shelton in the third round. ___
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Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
