Tallon Griekspoor was inspired when facing Alexander Zverev yesterday, and despite taking the German to a fifth and deciding set, he could not summon that last bit of quality to overcome him in the tiebreaker.
It marked a desperately disappointing end to a hugely impressive afternoon of tennis, in which the 27-year-old earned the admiration of the onlooking Roland Garros crowd and those watching from home.
Mats Wilander was one such example, with the former world number one even suggesting that, should he maintain performances at this kind of level, the very best players in the world should fear him.
Mats Wilander reacts to Alexander Zverev’s win
Speaking live on Eurosport as the Dutchman fell to a crushing final-set tiebreak defeat, he was full of praise for Griekspoor, and suggested that a bright future lay ahead regardless of this result.
Wilander claimed: ‘Honestly he’s a great player. He must realise that he is nearly as good as the best players in the world. He can do everything.
‘I love his serve and volley tactics, they worked over and over again. The slice backhand, trying to keep the ball low, I loved that. Drop shots off the forehand and the backhand. He runs well. He didn’t look that tired at the end. It’s right there for him, he should just look at this match I believe when he gets home and he’s relaxed and see how did I react between points, what shot selection did I choose and did it work.
‘The serve just went completely off which meant nerves. There’s a lot there which he should work on and suddenly we have a top 20 player in Griekspoor.’
Tallon Griekspoor was imperious against Alexander Zverev
Even if Zverev was the man to come out with his place in the Round of 16 secured, it was Griekspoor who won many new fans with his brave and brash display against one of the tournament’s favourites.
After all, having beaten Rafael Nadal in what may well be his last-ever French Open, already the 2022 US Open finalist was earmarked for success across these two weeks.
But Griekspoor, conversely, was not, as one of the many underrated and unknown talents expected to do okay, but not pull up any trees.
He clearly did not get this memo though, and went blow for blow with Zverev throughout.
His serving was as thunderous as ever, and his ability to fight off his opposition when faced with break points was supremely admirable. The German converted just five of the 18 break points he engineered.
If Griekspoor can add some of the elements to his game that Wilander has recommended, as someone certainly worth taking advice from, the sky seems to be the limit for Griekspoor.
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