20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece has defeated Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut to advance to the semi-finals of the Australian Open 7-5 4-6 6-4 7-6(2). This is only the Greeks second time in the Australian Open main draw; he lost first round last year, and it is his first Grand Slam semi-final.
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 22: Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece celebrates winning match point in his quarter final match against Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain during day nine of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Bautista Agut breaks early
Bautista Agut broke in the first game when Tsitsipas fanned an over-head into the bottom of the net on break point. Then in the eighth game, Tsitsipas was able to break back to level the score at 4-4. The Greek then broke again in the twelfth game to take the first set.
Bautista Agut broke Tsitsipas’ serve in the third game with a backhand winner and consolidated it to lead 3-1. Games then went with serve, allowing Bautista to take the second set and level the match at a set a piece.
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 22: Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain plays a backhand in his quarter final match against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during day nine of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Once again, Bautista Agut got the first break of the set, doing so in the fifth game of the third set. However, Tsistsipas broke back in the eighth game to level at 4-4. The Greek then won the next two games to win the third set.
In the fourth set, no one was able to gain any break points until the twelfth game, when a match point was brought up on the Spaniard’s serve when he double-faulted. The match point was saved with a forehand from Bautista Agut that just caught the sideline.
This fourth set was taken to a tiebreak, where the Greek on an early 3-0 lead. Bautista Agut won the next two points, but then the Greek won all the next to win the match and advance to the semis.
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Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 22: Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece plays a forehand in his quarter final match against Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain during day nine of the 2019 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
At the conclusion of the match, just as Tsitsipas was about to be interviewed on-court by Jim Courier, Greek fans in the crowd of Rod Laver Arena began singing the Greek national anthem to celebrate the young Greek’s victory.
During the on-court interview, Tsitsipas said “It all feels like a fairytale … I’m just living the dream.” He then went on to say that at the beginning of the year when he was asked what his goal was for 2019, Tsitsipas said he wanted to make the semi-finals of a Grand Slam. Despite saying this, he said that he felt a little silly saying it, as he was doubtful that is would happen, but it has.
In the semis, Tsitsipas will face either world no. 2, Rafael Nadal, or fellow youngster, Frances Tiafoe, who on his 21st birthday, upset Grigor Dimitrov.
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