Thiago Tirante protagonist of the Roland Garros blooper: the explanation of why he didn’t realize he won his first ATP match

Thiago Tirante had an unforgettable debut -and with a blooper included- in Roland Garros. The 22-year-old from La Plata and 153rd in the standings, beat the Dutchman 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 and 6-4 in the first round Apothecary Van De Zandschulp, 31st in the world, and celebrated his first victory at the top level of professional tennis. Although the party came a little late, because he was so focused on the game that he didn’t realize he had won.

“I was very focused point by point. I don’t look at the screen so I don’t have any extra pressure. I was very convinced that I did 5-3. When I went to dry myself with the towel, I looked at the thin (Van de Zandschulp) to see if he was tense and I see it on the net. There I became more disoriented,” Tirante said, amidst laughter.

“When I went to shake his hand I apologized if he had taken it wrong, I explained it to him. And when I shook the referee’s hand I asked him ‘I win?’“added who is one of the racketeers of that Next generation Argentina which continues to grow by leaps and bounds. “For the game it was better, because I didn’t put on extra pressure and I was able to play the points more calmly. But for happiness it was worse because I couldn’t even celebrate it.”

Up until this week, Thiago had only played one tournament in Tour of the ATP in his career, Buenos Aires 2021which he had entered thanks to aa joker card when he was 386th in the standings and had said goodbye by crashing to the German Dominik Koepfer in the first round.

Thus, the celebration against 27-year-old Van De Zandschulp was not only the first for him in a Grand Slam, but also the first in the major circuit of men’s tennis.

The man from La Plata had already broken another barrier in Paris entering the main draw. Because he did it by winning three games in qualifying, which was the first he managed to overcome in his career. Prior to this game, he had played and lost eleven other times in the previous round of a tournament, including those of the last five “greats” played.

This Monday he extended his streak by scoring his first victory against a more experienced rival, who is no brick dust specialist, but who was a finalist on the slow courts of Munich a few weeks ago, where he beat the American in the semifinal. Taylor Fritztenth in the standings, and gave battle to the Dane in the final Rune Holgerthen seventh.

“I can’t believe it. It’s my second year playing in the majors. It’s the first quality I’ve passed. I won’t say it’s a gift, because I’ve earned it. But I’m still not down that I got this win. I’m down between a little bit, maybe tomorrow,” an excited Tirant said in a chat with ESPN.

And he closed: “I’m very happy. I hope I can continue like this, showing this level.”

Tirante, winner at the end of April of Morelos Challenger (Mexico), will now face the Chinese Zhizhen Zhang71st in the standings, who in the first round defeated the Serbian 6-1, 4-1 and abandoned Dusan Lajovic53rd in the world.