"Money isn't an acceptable payment method at the French Open according to Altmaier."
French Open: Daniel Altmaier Advances to Round of 16
Paris — German tennis player Daniel Altmaier has once again reached the Round of 16 at the French Open, this time in the 2022 tournament. The 26-year-old defeated Serbian opponent Hamad Medjedovic in a thrilling contest, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.
Altmaier's victory came after a lengthy match lasting 2 hours and 48 minutes, which saw his opponent, Medjedovic, receiving medical treatment during a 10-minute break in the first set. Medjedovic complained of dizziness and had to lean on the court's edge.
The German player initially struggled with Medjedovic's aggressive play but managed to break his serve and lead 4-2. However, Altmaier then lost his rhythm, allowing Medjedovic to win the first set. After the break, Medjedovic changed his clothes due to excessive sweating, and Altmaier used this time to regroup, playing more calmly. He broke Medjedovic's serve twice more to win the second set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
In the third set, Altmaier broke Medjedovic's serve again to take a 3-1 lead, and he never looked back, securing his place in the Round of 16. He continued his momentum in the fourth set, breaking Medjedovic's serve twice more to win the set 6-2 and secure his victory with his sixth match point.
The victory marks Altmaier's second appearance in the Round of 16 at the French Open, having achieved the same feat back in 2017, albeit in a tournament held in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic and without spectators. This is currently his biggest achievement at a Grand Slam tournament.
Altmaier will now face either Frances Tiafoe or Sebastian Korda from the USA in the quarterfinals. Alongside world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who plays his third-round match against Italian Flavio Cobolli early on Saturday afternoon, Altmaier is the only remaining German player in the singles competition.
This achievement confirms Altmaier's strong performance this year. In late 2021, he had announced his intention to attack the rankings in 2022. "My goal is to be among the seeded players at the Australian Open next year," Altmaier said in Paris. To achieve this, he needs to be among the top 32 players. With his success at the French Open, he is already well on his way to breaking into the top 60, having reached a best-ever ranking of 47 in the fall of 2021.
During Altmaier's training regimen, he ensures to keep radio broadcasts of sports matches, including tennis tournaments, playing in the background to boost his motivation. In his upcoming quarterfinals match, he might find inspiration from past tennis champions, such as Rafael Nadal, who has been victorious at the French Open an impressive 13 times.
