Tsitsipas Stuns Federer to Make Quarterfinals
20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas stunned two-time defending champion Roger Federer 6-7(11) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(5) at the Australian Open to become the first Greek player to ever make it to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament.
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In the first set, both players were impeccable on serve, and the set went to a tiebreak. Both players held multiple set points in the tiebreak, but it was Federer who would come out on top 13-11 to take the opening set. One could say that the Greek was unlucky in the first set, as he had actually won one more point than Federer despite losing in the ensuing tiebreaker.
The second set would be similar to the first, but with a different outcome. Although Federer had four set points on Tsitsipas’ serve, the Swiss could not convert, and the set would also go to a tiebreak as neither player dropped serve. This time, the Greek would claim the tiebreak by a score of 7-3 to level the match at one all.
The third set also seemed to be going to a tiebreak, but Tsitsipas would break Federer’s serve at 6-5 to take it 7-5 and go up two sets to one. The fourth set would however, go to a tiebreak, with the Greek taking it 7-5 to make history and advance to the quarterfinals. It must be said that Tsitsipas’ serve won him the match. The Greek hit 20 aces and saved 12 of 12 break points.
Tsitsipas will now face Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The 22nd seed upset last year’s finalist Marin Cilic of Croatia (world number seven) in five sets and will also be playing in the quarterfinals of a major for the very first time in his career. Tsitsipas and Bautista Agut have never played against each other before.
