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Paris - Oscar Otte is unique at Roland Garros as the only German to count a former English Test cricketer as an inspiration.
His other idol is Roger Federer, the man he will face in the second round in Paris.
Otte, the world number 145, made the first round at the French Open as a lucky loser despite being beaten in qualifying.
The 25-year-old made the most of his second chance by seeing off experienced Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 on Sunday to book a place in the second round of a Slam for the first time.
As well as his victory, it was his name-checking of Mark Benson, who played one Test match for England as an opening batsman before going on to become an umpire, that proved equally as eye-catching.
Benson is also the father of the man who is soon to marry Otte's sister Luisa.
"I have known him for a long time and have got to know him quite well," Otte told AFP.
"I know about his career which was very impressive and I always keep in touch with him."
Benson played his only Test for England against India in 1986 and spent 15 years featuring for Kent, scoring more than 18,000 runs.
Otte, however, admitted that he has yet to catch the cricket bug.
"Cricket's not that big for me, sorry."
Before Sunday, Otte had won just one match on the main tour in eight years.
His earnings this year are $54,000 and $327,000 in his career compared to Federer's $3.1 million in 2019 and $123.6 million overall.
"It will be a big match for me," added Otte, who is already assured €64,000 by getting to the second round in Paris.
"I am looking forward to it."
But Otte then admitted: "I would be surprised if Roger knows my name!"
For 35-year-old Jaziri, Sunday's match was an opportunity lost.
"It's not easy to prepare against a player you have never seen," the Tunisian told AFP.
"You don't know how he plays, you try and check on Google and YouTube but there's nothing.
"I was too up and down today. My forehand, which is my best shot, wasn't working very well and he upped his game."
Jaziri, the world number 94, had not played since Estoril a month ago due to injury.
He admitted that losing a chance to face Federer in the next round was disappointing.
"Roland Garros is the most watched tennis event in Tunisia and the Arab world and I would have loved to play Roger here," said Jaziri who has made the second round in Paris on three occasions.
"It was a good opportunity, but maybe next time."
French Open results on Sunday, the first day of the 2019 tournament (x denotes seeded player):
Men
1st round
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x6) bt Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4)
Hugo Dellien (BOL) bt Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) 6-1, 6-3, 6-1
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) bt Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) 6-3, 6-0, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4
Marin Cilic (CRO x11) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 6-3, 7-5, 6-1
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) bt Marco Cecchinato (ITA x16) 2-6, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1
Leonardo Mayer (ARG) bt Jirí Veselý (CZE) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-0
Diego Schwartzman (ARG x17) bt Márton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 2-6, 6-2
Matteo Berrettini (ITA x29) bt Pablo Andújar (ESP) 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
Casper Ruud (NOR) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-2, 7-6 (7/2), 6-0
Oscar Otte (GER) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0
Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
Kei Nishikori (JPN x7) bt Quentin Halys (FRA) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) bt Ugo Humbert (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12/10), 6-3
Laslo Djere (SRB x31) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas(ESP) 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2)
David Goffin (BEL x27) bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-0, 6-2, 6-2
Women
1st round
Sloane Stephens (USA x7) bt Misaki Doi (JPN) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) bt Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL) 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
Garbine Muguruza (ESP x19) bt Taylor Townsend (USA) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
Johanna Larsson (SWE) bt Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 6-3, 6-4
Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-2, 7-6 (7/5)
Elina Svitolina (UKR x9) bt Venus Williams (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Belinda Bencic (SUI x15) bt Jessika Ponchet (FRA) 6-1, 6-4
Laura Siegemund (GER) bt Sofya Zhuk (RUS) 6-3, 6-3
Anastasia Potapova (RUS) bt Angelique Kerber (GER x5) 6-4, 6-2
Markéta Vondroušová (CZE) bt Wang Yafan (CHN) 6-4, 6-3
Petra Martic (CRO x31) bt Ons Jabeur (TUN) 6-1, 6-2
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3)
Kristína Kucová (SVK) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-4, 6-2
Karolína Plíšková (CZE x2) bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-2, 6-3
