Stefanos Tsitsipas crashes out of US Open as Greek star upset by world No 128
Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out of the US Open within the second spherical on Wednesday. The seventh seed served for the match within the fourth set however went on to lose to qualifier Dominic Stricker. The world No 128 got here via 7-5 6-7(2) 6-7(5) 7-6(6) 6-3 to earn the largest victory of his younger profession.
Tsitsipas suffered one other early exit on the US Open as Stricker picked up his first high 10 win. The 21-year-old Swiss participant had come via qualifying to make his US Open essential draw debut, beating world No 41 Alexei Popyrin within the first spherical.
Stricker took the primary set in opposition to Tsitsipas of their second-round match earlier than the two-time Grand Slam finalist got here storming again, successful the following two units. The 25-year-old served for the match at 5-3 within the fourth set however the qualifier held his nerve and managed to interrupt at a vital second, forcing a tiebreak.
The seventh seed was two factors from the victory at 5-4 within the breaker however Stricker stole it 8-6 and received the early break within the fifth and closing set which proved essential, serving out the largest win of his profession after 4 hours and 4 minutes.
Tsitsipas had already suffered a disappointing defeat at Wimbledon earlier this summer time when he crashed out to Christopher Eubanks within the fourth spherical, when the American was ranked at No 43 on the planet. The Greek participant had a robust begin to the season when he reached his second Grand Slam closing on the Australian Open.
But he has since skilled blended outcomes and solely picked up his first title of the season earlier this month in Los Cabos. Tsitsipas has a poor file in Flushing Meadows and has by no means reached the second week, crashing out within the first spherical to Daniel Galan final yr.
Stricker solely received his first match win at a Grand Slam earlier this summer time at Wimbledon, additionally coming via qualifying. He had the identical first-round opponent in Popyrin, defeating the Australian at SW19 earlier than beating him for the second time at this week’s US Open.