Tsitsipas suffers early exit at Roland Garros in familiar setback

 

Greek star eliminated in second round after four-set defeat to Matteo Arnaldi

Stefanos Tsitsipas was knocked out of Roland Garros in the second round after a four-set defeat to Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, in a match that reinforced the Greek player’s recent struggles at Grand Slam level.

The former world No. 8, now ranked 79th, lost 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 in a contest lasting 3 hours and 18 minutes, marking another disappointing chapter in a run of early exits at major tournaments.

Tight opening sets before Arnaldi takes control

The match began with a highly competitive first set, featuring multiple break point opportunities for both players. Arnaldi came closest to breaking in the fifth game but failed to convert four chances.

The set eventually went to a tie-break, where the Italian was more consistent and closed it out comfortably 7-6(2).

Tsitsipas responded strongly in the second set. After falling behind 3-0 following an early break, the Greek fought back to level at 5-5 and ultimately took the set 7-5, restoring parity in the match.

Momentum shifts decisively in Arnaldi’s favour

The third set proved decisive, with Arnaldi regaining control after breaking serve in the fourth game. From there, the Italian maintained his advantage to win 6-3.

Tsitsipas struggled to recover in the fourth set, losing two consecutive service games early on, which allowed Arnaldi to serve for the match.

The Italian earned four match points and converted the last one to seal a 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 victory and progress to the next round.

Continued Grand Slam struggles for Tsitsipas

The defeat adds to a worrying pattern for Tsitsipas, who has repeatedly failed to advance beyond the early rounds in recent Grand Slam tournaments.

His recent record includes multiple first- and second-round exits across Wimbledon, the US Open, the Australian Open and Roland Garros over the past two seasons, underlining a prolonged dip in form at the highest level.

Arnaldi advances to face Collignon

With the win, Matteo Arnaldi moves into the third round, where he will face Rafael Collignon, who previously eliminated Ben Shelton.

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