Diego Dedura-Palomero made his mark on tennis in multiple manner Tuesday.
The 17-year-old German grew to become the primary participant born in 2008 to win a match on the ATP Tour and celebrated the feat with a novel celebration.
After his opponent Denis Shapovalov retired when trailing 7-6 (2), 3-0 of their first-round match on the BMW Open, Dedura-Palomero used his ft to scrape out a cross on the Munich clay earlier than mendacity down on high of it.
Dedura-Palomero stated he was “fairly non secular” and the celebration was “a gesture of gratitude,” in feedback reported by German information company DPA.
Solely 4 gamers youthful than Dedura-Palomero — together with a 16-year-old Boris Becker in 1984 — have ever received on the storied Munich event, the ATP stated. The newest was Romanian Dinu Pescariu, who had simply turned 17 when he upset John McEnroe in 1991.
Dedura-Palomero wasn’t even meant to be taking part in Tuesday. {The teenager} from Berlin had misplaced in qualifying to Alexander Bublik however obtained a spot in the principle draw when Gael Monfils withdrew.
“I used to be ready the entire day on Monday, after which Monfils pulled out,” Dedura-Palomero stated. “He hugged me, and he was so good. I went in and instructed myself to have enjoyable, go along with the group and play my greatest.”
After his win towards the eighth-seeded Shapovalov, Dedura-Palomero goes on to play Zizou Bergs within the second spherical.
Additionally Tuesday, Mariano Navone upset third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3), fourth-seeded Ugo Humbert beat Nicolas Jarry 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and fifth-seeded Francisco Cerundolo received 6-0, 6-2 towards Jan-Lennard Struff. There was one other upset as German wild card Yannick Hanfmann ousted sixth-seeded Jakub Mensik 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3.
The Related Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
