After rain completely paralyzed the Tiriac Open on Thursday, organizers were forced to create a relentless schedule. Eight players had to step onto the soaked clay twice in the same day to play both the round of 16 and the quarterfinals. In this tennis marathon, Fabian Marozsan and Daniel Merida Aguilar navigated the challenges best, while we witnessed incredible comebacks and retirements due to sheer exhaustion.
Quarterfinals: Droguet’s Tragedy and the End of the Road for Dzumhur
The afternoon hours brought true gladiator battles. Frenchman Titouan Droguet paid the highest price for the double-header. Following a grueling morning victory, he was on the verge of triumph in the quarterfinal against Daniel Merida Aguilar. The Frenchman had three match points in the second-set tie-break (two consecutive at 6-4), but failed to convert any of them. When he suffered a break early in the deciding set, it became obvious he could no longer move like he did in the first two sets. Although the physio was called to the court, there was no medical intervention – Droguet simply ran out of energy and had to retire due to physical exhaustion trailing 1-3 in the third set.
On the other hand, Fabian Marozsan showed incredible physical fitness. After finishing his suspended match against Sakellaridis in the morning, he defeated the tricky Daniel Altmaier in straight sets in the afternoon to book his ticket to the semifinals.
Botic Van De Zandschulp put an end to Damir Dzumhur’s excellent tournament run, routinely defeating him 6-3, 6-3, while Mariano Navone eliminated Alex Molcan following a comeback.
Quarterfinal Results:
- F. Marozsan def. D. Altmaier (6-2, 7-6)
- D. Merida Aguilar def. T. Droguet (4-6, 7-6, 3-1, Droguet retired)
- M. Navone def. A. Molcan (3-6, 6-2, 6-3)
- B. Van De Zandschulp def. D. Dzumhur (6-3, 6-3)
Morning Thrillers: Prizmic’s Incomprehensible Collapse and Seeds Crashing Out
The day started with massive upsets. First seed Sebastian Baez was eliminated by Droguet in two tight sets, while the experienced Adrian Mannarino also had to pack his bags after losing to Merida Aguilar.
However, the match of the tournament was played by the German Daniel Altmaier and the young Croatian Dino Prizmic. This marathon lasted a whopping 3 hours and 21 minutes! After Prizmic confidently took the first set 6-3, Altmaier fought back to win the second set in a tie-break (7-1). In the deciding third set, Prizmic held a massive 5-1 lead, but miraculously lost a practically won match! The German managed to claw his way back from the abyss, save a match point, and push the set into another tie-break, which he won 9-7.
Official statistics reveal the absurdity of this match: Prizmic won more total points (114 vs. 110) and had significantly fewer unforced errors (38 vs. the German’s 53). However, Altmaier’s aggressive play paid off when it mattered most, recording 32 winners compared to Prizmic’s 25.
Round of 16 Results (Morning schedule):
- F. Marozsan def. S. Sakellaridis (7-6, 7-5)
- D. Altmaier def. D. Prizmic (3-6, 7-6, 7-6)
- T. Droguet def. S. Baez (6-4, 6-4)
- D. Merida Aguilar def. A. Mannarino (4-6, 6-2, 6-2)
For all live scores, the complete draw, and tomorrow’s semifinal schedule, follow our main Tiriac Open 2026 HUB page