Defending champ Federer loses to Tsitsipas
MELBOURNE, Australia — Two-time defending champion Roger Federer‘s has been upset in the fourth round of the Australian Open by Stefanos Tsitsipas, who becomes the first player from Greece to reach the quarterfinals at a major.
Tsitsipas converted one of his three breakpoint chances in the match and fended off all 12 he faced to beat the 20-time major winner 6-7 (11), 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-6 (5)
The 37-year-old Federer had a set point in 10th game of the second for a 2-0 lead but Tsitsipas saved it with a service winner.
Federer has won the last two Australian titles and has six overall at Melbourne Park, a record he shares with top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Roy Emerson.
The 20-year-old Tsitsipas says “I’m the happiest person on earth right now.” His best previous run at a major ended in a fourth-round exit at Wimbledon last year.
He will next play Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat 2018 runner-up Marin Cilic in five sets to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. Bautista Agut had lost in the fourth round nine times at Slams.
Second-seeded Rafael Nadal swept to his 20th victory in 24 attempts over Tomas Berdych with a 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (4) win to advance to the quarterfinals.
LeBron James hasn’t been on the court for the Lakers, but his iconic celebrations have seen a resurgence on the tennis court, thanks to American sensation Frances Tiafoe.
Danielle Collins made quick work of three-time major champ and No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber on Sunday, winning 6-0, 6-2 in the fourth round. Ashleigh Barty and Petra Kvitova also advanced.
Nadal won the first nine games of the match. When Berdych finally got on the board in the 10th, he held his left arm up in mock celebration. Berdych came back strongly in the third set and had a set point in the 12th game before Nadal dominated the tiebreaker.
The last time the players met here in 2015, Berdych beat the Spaniard in straight sets to end a 17-match losing streak against Nadal.
It is the 11th time that Nadal has reached the quarterfinals here. He will next play American Frances Tiafoe.
“When you’re back, you need a little bit of the luck in the beginning,” said Nadal, who didn’t play a competitive match between the last US Open and the season-opening major in Australia because of injuries. “I’m in the quarterfinals, let’s see what happens now.”
Tiafoe celebrated his 21st birthday in style with a 7-5, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (1), 7-5 win over No. 20-seeded Grigor Dimitrov to advance to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Tiafoe, who received treatment on his right forearm at the end of the third set, broke Dimitrov’s serve in the 11th game of the fourth, then held serve to end the 3-hour, 39-minute match.
In typical style, Tiafoe took off his T-shirt, flexed his right bicep and waved to the crowd. Then he sat in his chair and covered his head with a towel.
It’s a big turnaround for the American at the Australian Open. He lost all three singles matches at the exhibition Hopman Cup three weeks ago, then was beaten in the first round at the Sydney International.
At Melbourne Park, he has beaten No. 5 Kevin Anderson and veteran Andreas Seppi.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.