Landaluce, after playing a five-set match for the first time: "It has been my first truly tough match"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 26 May 2026 | 21.59

Landaluce, after making his debut in a five-set match: "It has been my first really tough match". Photo: Getty Images

Streaming French Open live tennis

🎾 Ugo Humbert vs Quentin Halys

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Martín Landaluce already knows what Grand Slam five-set matches are like. The Spaniard played his first main draw at Roland Garros and had to sweat to win it against a Juan Carlos Prado Ángelo who leveled the score on two occasions, coming back from 4-1 down in the 4th set and 5-1 in the decisive set. But the Madrid native endured and ended up winning the thriller with 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-4, after a battle of four and a half hours.

After securing his first victory in a Grand Slam and before facing Vit Kopriva in the second round, Landaluce spoke to Spanish journalists in a press conference where he confessed that the heat played an important role, besides downplaying his wrist discomfort.

Martín Landaluce explains his thrilling victory in his first Roland Garros

"It was a very difficult match. I think with the heat, in five sets, there are more ups and downs. Energy fades at times, and you need to do many things right to lead the matches and close them comfortably. I believe that with experience, this will happen less frequently, I hope, with more calmness and closing these matches with less complex results."

"Very happy to gain these experiences and to win today's match. The discomfort came towards the end of the fourth set. Surely, there was a bit of everything, but we hope it's nothing and that I can be perfectly ready for the next round."

Remedies for the scorching heat of Paris

"You have to do a thousand things. Hydrate well, take plenty of gels and all the salts you can. Besides that, try to lower your heart rate during breaks and between points, so that the fatigue and lack of oxygen in your head due to excessive breathing don't accumulate. Try to stay as calm as possible and know that, as the match will have its ups and downs, you have to put on a brave face and keep drawing energy."

How he managed to overcome the 4-1 in the 4th set and the 5-1 in the 5th set

"The goal is to remain as stable as possible. It's true that certain points stick more in your head and you start to carry a certain dynamic. And when the opponent sees a bit of air or an opportunity, they start playing better, which is what he did."

"I gave him several points that, if I had played better, would have continued to keep the match on my side. But with the intention of being brave and going for it, there were some odd points, lobs, tricky volleys, retreating, not advancing, and the matches get complicated. But I believe that by improving certain things and seeing myself in today's match, I will become more complete and will be able to close these matches more easily."

Lessons learned from today's battle

"Today, I learned a lot. I have many things to improve, especially to be more stable playing at a high level. There were more ups and downs than I would have liked, and my opponent did many things well. In the final set, it seemed like he was cramping up, I think I did my job there, but then he loosened up, started winning the crowd over, and there was more tension."

"It was my first truly tough four-and-a-half-hour match, and I think I handled it quite well. I feel physically good. Certain aspects need to be reviewed for the next match, and to be %100, but I'm happy."

About his next opponent, Vit Kopriva

"The next round will be tough. I watched his final, I think it was also five sets if I'm not mistaken, and I know it will be a physical match. He's a player capable of enduring a lot, does many things well, and no one gives you anything. It will be another good battle. We have to recover as much as possible to be %100 or %200 ready," concludes Martín Landaluce, who managed to escape from the abyss in his first Roland Garros.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Landaluce, tras estrenarse en un duelo a cinco sets: "Ha sido mi primer partido duro de verdad"