After seeing Nick Kyrgios withdraw from the French Open, Australia’s Bernard Tomic came up against a lucky loser from the qualifying. It was world no. 190 Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti.
Trungelliti had made his way back to Barcelona after losing his final match of qualifying against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. He was then given the call to make his way back to Paris. Ten hours later after driving from his home he had arrived.
The match was even over the first six games with both players holding serve.
Tomic the world no. 206 was broken to love in the seventh game for Trungelliti to lead 4-3. A drop shot won the first point for the Argentine, as well as the point to take him to 0-40.
Two double faults when 40-15 helped Tomic get back to deuce. Then a missed drop shot by Trungelliti handed Tomic a break point which was saved with a big serve that Tomic hit wide.
A good return saw Trungelliti hit into the net and then on break point the Argentinian almost hit the back fence with his volley to see Tomic draw level at 4-4.
In the next game, Tomic fought off several break points and held a game point before Trungelliti finally got the break as a backhand from Tomic clipped the net and then sailed wide.
Trungelliti then served out the next game to love to take the first set 6-4.
In the opening game of the second set, Tomic fought back from 0-30 to hold to lead 1-0.
At 2-1 Tomic had two break points which Trungelliti fought off to get back to deuce. Then he hit a down the line winner after a long rally to get to Ad. A drop shot from deep behind the baseline from Trungelliti gave him the game to level it up at 2-2.
At 3-2 Tomic again earned a break point with a good passing shot, only to see Trungelliti to save the point with an ace. The next point was hit into the net by the Argentinian for another break, but another ace out wide saved the game. Tomic was hitting deep and wide and forced an error to bring up the third break point for Tomic. Another drop shot that forced an error from Tomic saved the third break point. A wide serve and a missed return gave Trungelliti game point, he eventually held to level the set at 3-3.
Games went with serve until at 6-5 to Tomic we saw the Australian jump out to 0-30 before a shot down the line missed by a small margin. Then as Trungelliti came to the net a Tomic error saw it at 30-30.
A forehand pulled wide by Trungelliti gave Tomic a set point which he converted after his opponent hit long. 7-5 to Tomic.
Trungelliti lifted the tempo in the third game of the third set and was rewarded with a break point which he converted with yet another drop shot winner to lead 2-1.
Games went with serve and at 4-2 with Tomic serving, two break points were saved before Tomic won the game to trial 4-3.
At 3-5 down Tomic saved a few set points, but Trungelliti was hitting winners off the Tomic serve to make a tired Tomic fight hard to win the game, which he did to make his opponent serve out the set at 5-4.
Tomic was now looking a step slower than earlier in the match and gifted Trungelliti the set after several errors. The score was now 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to the lucky loser.
With Tomic down two sets to one it was hard to see him coming back.
Trungelliti put the pressure on with an early break and was ahead 2-1 before putting in a sloppy service game that was surrendered with a double-fault to level the score at 2-2.
Tomic then held serve with ease to move out to a 3-2.
Trungelliti found some energy again to win the game to level the set at 3-3. In the next game the winners were flowing from the racquet of the Argentinian and he managed to earn several break points which he finally converted to lead 4-3.
A lucky net cord got Tomic back to 30-30 before he hit a forehand winner to bring up a break back point, it was taken away by a big service ace out wide, then some big hitting forced an error from Tomic for game point which was converted for Trungelliti to lead 5-3.
Tomic served out to love to get back to 4-5 and keep the pressure on his opponent.
With the match now in his hands, Trungelliti was looking tight and hit several shots out or into the net. Tomic had several break point chances but was unable to convert. Trungelliti then found himself at match point but double-faulted, before a big first serve earned a second match point which he then converted with an ace to win the match.
Trungelliti continues his recent trend of making the second round at the French Open after reaching that stage in 2016 and 2017 through qualifying, although this year was most unexpected.
