INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Tallon Griekspoor upset No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) in a second-round match at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday.
The loss came eight days after Zverev also was the top seed when he was upset by American teenager Learner Tien 6-3, 6-4 in Acapulco, Mexico.
The Zverev-Griekspoor match lasted three hours, seven minutes. Griekspoor collapsed on the court after converting his sixth match point for his first win over an opponent ranked in the top five.
The 28-year-old from the Netherlands improved to 2-6 against Zverev, currently ranked No. 2.
“It was such a mental thing. I lost to him five times last year and had absolute heartbreak at Roland Garros where I was up a double break in the fifth,” Griekspoor said. “I played so many battles against him and had chances but they all went his way. I am incredibly proud of myself from this performance and to get it over the line.”
Griekspoor, ranked No. 43, will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the third round.
Zverev trails Jannik Sinner in the rankings. He will remain at No. 2 even if No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz defends his Indian Wells title.
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