U.S. star pulls off Indian Wells upset as draw | Sports News

Marcos Giron became the latest player to record a major upset at Indian Wells after No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev suffered a shock defeat to Tallon Griekspoor on Friday. Giron clinched a deciding set against No. 4 seed Casper Ruud to seal the biggest win of his career.

Giron, 31, is a late bloomer in tennis, but beat Ruud 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-2 to reach the second round, where he will face Australian star Alexei Popyrin. It was the fifth time that Giron has beaten a top-ten player, but the first time in his career that he’s emerged victorious against a top-five talent.

“It was an amazing win. It’ll definitely be one I look back on with amazing memories,” Giron said after the match. “To do it here at my favorite tournament is special. This is the one tournament I came to when I was younger. With the home crowd… it’s an amazing atmosphere.”

Giron has just one career singles title, and broke into the top 100 at the age of 27. Ruud, the current World No. 5, has made a slow start to 2025 after struggling at the Australian Open, withdrawing from the Mexican Open mid-tournament, and exiting Indian Wells after the first round.

Ruud did reach the final of the Dallas Open, but lost in straight sets to Canadian star Denis Shapovalov. Elsewhere at Indian Wells, Griekspoor also picked up his first win against a top-five opponent after beating Zverev in three sets after edging two tiebreaks.

Griekspoor came from a set down and needed six match points to beat Zverev, but ended his 0-18 drought against top-five opponents to book his place in the next round against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. “Beating Sascha was such a mental thing,” Griekspoor said.

“I lost to him 4 times last year. Absolute heartbreak at Roland Garros where I was up a double break twice in the 5th. I played so many battles against him where I had chances in all of them, and they all went his way. Incredibly proud of this performance today and to finally get over the line.”

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Griekspoor’s win on Friday ended a run of five-straight defeats against Zverev, who admitted after the match that he doesn’t enjoy playing against the Dutchman. “I always struggle against him, he’s a complicated player for me, for sure,” said Zverev.

“Even though I [have] won, a lot of them are tight matches. He played a good match, there’s no question about it, but I have to look at myself a little bit. It’s nowhere near where I want to be.”

With Zverev and Ruud out, Carlos Alcaraz is the highest-seeded player remaining, with Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev making up the top five. Novak Djokovic is the No. 6 seed, though his chances of winning have increased after an unexpected Friday session.