Ben Shelton ousted by Belgian debutant in 2nd round, shock exit for Tsitsipas
Roland Garros 2026: Raphael Collignon and Matteo Arnaldi produced two of the biggest upsets of the French Open, knocking out Ben Shelton and Stefanos Tsitsipas respectively. The giant-killers will now meet in the third round with a place in the second week at stake.
The second round of the French Open produced another major shake-up as two of the tournament's biggest names were sent packing on Friday, 29 May. Fifth seed Ben Shelton and former Roland Garros finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered shock exits, leaving the men's singles draw wide open.
Belgium's Raphael Collignon secured the biggest win of his career so far as he stunned world number five Shelton in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. It was his first appearance in the Roland Garros main draw, and the 24-year-old showed remarkable composure against the American.
Collignon's strategy centred around neutralising Shelton's explosive serve. The Belgian broke Shelton at crucial moments in all three sets, wrapping up the victory in just over two hours.
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A visibly emotional Collignon later reflected on his tactical discipline, noting that staying calm and concentrating on his own service game was key to unsettling the American star.
"I knew I had to try to stay focused on my return, that his real strength was his serve and that I really had to concentrate on my own service game – that was the key," Collignon told reporters.
"I tried to wait for the opportunities and whenever they came, in the end, I stayed fairly calm because I broke serve at just the right moment every time," he said.
ARNALDI TAKES HIS REVENGE ON TSITSIPAS
On the adjacent court, Italy's Matteo Arnaldi added to the day's upsets by taking down 2021 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
For Arnaldi, the victory was sweet revenge after losing to the Greek star on these same courts in 2024. Displaying incredible athleticism, Arnaldi wore down his opponent to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since the US Open.
The defeat marks another painful chapter in Tsitsipas' ongoing struggles on the biggest stage. Once a dominant force on clay, Tsitsipas has failed to progress beyond the second round in his last seven Grand Slam appearances, a baffling slump that dates back to mid-2024.
A SHOWDOWN BETWEEN GIANT-KILLERS
With two leading contenders eliminated, attention now turns to an unexpected third-round clash.
Collignon and Arnaldi will now face each other for a place in the second week. Both players head into the match brimming with confidence after producing two of the biggest upsets of the tournament, setting the stage for a fascinating contest between two in-form underdogs.