Damir Dzumhur achieved his best Grand Slam performance in seven years, remarkably, without initially realizing he had won the match.
The 33-year-old Bosnian faced local favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at Roland Garros on Wednesday afternoon.
Dzumhur previously reached a career-high ranking of World No. 23 seven years ago and advanced to the third round at the French Open in 2015 and 2018. After struggling for form in recent years, Dzumhur appears to be experiencing a resurgence this season.
On Court Suzanne Lenglen, the 5ft 9in Dzumhur faced off against the towering 6ft 8in Mpetshi Perricard in a classic David vs. Goliath scenario. In a compelling match showcasing contrasting playing styles, the underdog Dzumhur overcame the support for the home player to win with a score of 7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Dzumhur had broken Mpetshi Perricard`s serve, known for its power, in the seventh game of the fourth set. On match point, the 21-year-old Frenchman hit a forehand shot long, handing the victory to Dzumhur.
Instead of celebrating immediately, Dzumhur seemed confused. The player, who has won three ATP titles, then hit the ball towards Mpetshi Perricard`s side of the court, seemingly thinking it was his opponent`s turn to serve.
The realization that he had won then hit Dzumhur, and he hesitantly approached the net to shake hands. He then waved apologetically to the crowd, perhaps wary of provoking their known displeasure towards opponents of French players. Finally, a smile appeared on his face as the significance of his win sunk in.
Dzumhur`s victory came despite taking a hard fall earlier in the match.
In his post-match interview on court, Dzumhur confessed, “I felt really stressed in the third set after getting a break. It was pretty much the same situation in the fourth set. I actually didn’t realize I was serving for the match, so maybe that was a good thing.”
Dzumhur is set to play against the defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the third round.
HEALTH SCARE
In 2022, Dzumhur faced a concerning health issue after a qualifying match at Roland Garros against Fernando Verdasco. Experiencing severe stomach pain, he received treatment for pancreatitis. He later told Clay Magazine that he was “really close to dying.”
He further explained, “Soon after the match I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. It was increasing more and more. And at some point I understood that something was wrong, because it wasn’t a normal pain, it was very strong and rare. After a consultation with the doctor on site, I was feeling even worse and worse and they sent me to a hospital in Paris.”
He added, “I was lucky that they sent me there fast. I had inflammation of the pancreas, which was a very hard one. The doctor that saw me told me that I was lucky to be young and in a good shape, because somebody older or weaker could’ve easily died with that kind of inflammation.”
