Australia&rsquo;s Kimberly Birrell produced the biggest shock of the opening week at the <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/first-is-worst-for-medvedev-23632349" rel="nofollow">French Open</a>, rallying from a set down to knock out fifth seed Jessica Pegula in a dramatic first-round clash.&nbsp;
The World No. 83 came from behind to win 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, marking the biggest victory of her career and causing Pegula&rsquo;s earliest Grand Slam exit in five years.&nbsp;
It was also Birrell&rsquo;s first win at Roland Garros and her debut main-draw victory at a major outside her home Slam in Melbourne.&nbsp;
<img title="Jessica Pegula. Pic/AFP" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/may/jessica-afp_e.jpg" alt="Jessica Pegula. Pic/AFP" width="1280" height="720" />Jessica Pegula. Pic/AFP
A visibly emotional Birrell struggled to process the scale of the victory moments after leaving the court. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t really know what to say or think,&rdquo; she said after securing not just her first win in Paris, but her first at a Grand Slam that isn&rsquo;t the Australian Open.&nbsp;
&ldquo;When I saw the draw and saw I was playing Jessie, I knew it would be really tough. I really admire her as a player and person. I tried to take it one point at a time. I thought she played so well in the first set. My goal was to just win one game and slowly gain some confidence. So happy I was able to play probably the best match I&rsquo;ve played on clay, and able to play during a Grand Slam, especially here, it&rsquo;s really really special.&rdquo;
Birrell will next face Oleksandra Oliynykova for a place in the third round. Meanwhile, Australian Open champion <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/no-1-sabalenka-faces-in-form-rybakina-in-australian-open-title-clash-23614474" rel="nofollow">Elena Rybakina</a> suffered a shock early exit in the French Open second round at the hands of Ukraine&rsquo;s Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3, 1-6, 6-7(4).
In another match, four-time former winner Iga Swiatek moved into the women&rsquo;s singles third round with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Sara Bejlek. World No. 1 <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/photo/in-photos-sinner-moves-into-the-second-round-of-the-french-open-111300" rel="nofollow">Jannik Sinner</a> stormed into the second round with a commanding display to brush aside French wildcard Clement Tabur 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.
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A visibly emotional Birrell struggled to process the scale of the victory moments after leaving the court. 

‘My plan was to win one game at a time’ Kimberly Birrell

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‘My plan was to win one game at a time’ Kimberly Birrell

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