Tsitsipas overpowers Fritz in Australian Open last-16

Sports Desk, Jan 24 (EFE).- Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday squeezed into the Australian Open quarterfinals after defeating Taylor Fritz 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a close contest.

The Greek was more precise in the key moments, seizing on three out of five break points, while the US’ capitalized on just two of 15 chances.

“An epic match, that’s what I can say,” Tsitsipas, the fourth-seed, said after the encounter that lasted for nearly three and a half hours.

“I gave everything out on the court today, I’m very proud of myself the way I fought, the way I stayed consistent in the moments that were very close and crucial,” he added.

The American was the first to draw blood, gaining a service break in the 7th game of the first set, which was enough to take the lead.

Tsitsipas, 23, waited until the 10th game of the second set to draw level, before trailing by two sets to one on the wake of a break in the 7th game.

A break in the 8th and 9th games in the fourth and fifth sets respectively fired the Greek into his third Australian Open, keeping alive his hopes for a maiden Grand Slam title.

Next up for Tsitsipas will be Jannik Sinner, who ended Australian hopes for a local men’s singles champion this year by defeating Alex de Miñaur 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The Italian managed to emerge victorious from the first set tiebreak after fending off early charge by de Miñaur in the fourth game that lasted for eight minutes and 32 seconds.

He then built on a 2-0 second set lead to double his advantage.

The 11th-seed dropped his serve once in the third set, canceling out one of two breaks he had bagged, ending his opponent’s best Australian Open run.

Second-seed Daniil Medvedev defeated Maxime Cressy 6-2, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5, holding his own delivery throughout the match that lasted for three hours and a half.

Eyebrow raising 18 double faults throughout the match did not help the cause of the American who conceded his serve twice in the first set.

The American was unable to seize on the lone break point he created in the match as the second set headed into a tiebreaker that the Russian won.

A similar scenario took place in the third set, with a different tiebreak outcome, though. Cressy became the second player to take a set from the Russian in Melbourne this year following Nick Kyrgios.

The 25-year-old was in no mood for more drama, delivering on serve throughout the fourth set, carving out nine chances, one of which was enough to seal the game.

“It was not easy,” Medvedev said afterwards. “The scoreline, only the first set I managed to sprint in front of him and kind of win it easy.”

“All the other sets were a tough fight. If I wouldn’t win the fourth one, I’d probably be in a tough mental shape because I had so many break points. I just wanted to make one,” he added.

Medvedev will take on Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, who prevailed over Marin Cilic of Croatia 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 7-6. EFE

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