1. Oh my (Greek) God
The ETA of Next Gen? They’re here.
Stefanos Tsitsipas’ momentous 6-7(11) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(5) defeat of six-time and defending champion Roger Federer on Sunday night was loaded with symbolism.
The youngest man left in the draw ousted the oldest. The official Next Gen champion topped the GOAT.
MORE: Tsitsipas stunner ends Federer’s run
Federer, 37, lost to an energetic, free-swinging, younger version of himself. The Swiss legend’s 100th tournament title will not come via a record seventh Australian Open.
MORE: ‘Massive regrets’ – Roger rues end of reign
Tsitsipas, 20, in just his second trip to Melbourne Park, has been feted like a rockstar by an army of Greek supporters. He’s already the only Greek man to win a pro title, the highest ranked (No.15) and now the first into a Grand Slam quarterfinal. That he beat Federer to get there is even more significant. Greece has a new demigod.
2. Frances Tiafoe had a very happy birthday
Frances Tiafoe was the first man into the quarters on Sunday, the only non-seed and the only American male left in the draw winning a gladiatorial 7-5 7-6(6) 6-7(1) 7-5 clash over Grigor Dimitrov. On his 21st birthday, no less.
MORE: Five things we learned on Day 6
Cue another bare-chested, basketball-inspired victory celebration in Melbourne Arena. “It means the world,” Tiafoe said, breaking down and needing to gather himself before the post-match interview.
American-born Tiafoe is the son of immigrants from Sierra Leone. His father Frances Snr worked as a groundsman at a Washington DC-area tennis club, where Tiafoe and his twin brother Franklin took up the game aged three.
“I told my parents 10 years ago I was gonna be a pro, change their life and change my life,” said the emotional winner. “Now I’m in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam.”
MORE: Tiafoe comes of age to take out Dimitrov
Tiafoe, who teamed with Serena Williams at the Hopman Cup, put out No.5 seed Kevin Anderson in the second round. Against No.20 seed Dimitrov, he dropped the third set despite winning nine more points, 51 to 42. At match’s end, that stat was reversed, Tiafoe winning fewer points (166 to Dimitrov’s 171), but winning the big ones.
The sporting Dimitrov crossed the net to congratulate Tiafoe. “Me and Grigor are great friends, ever since I came on tour,” the American said. The Bulgarian won their only previous encounter six months ago at Toronto in a third-set tiebreak. “I told him next time I would beat him. I was gonna be mad as hell if I lost on my birthday,” Tiafoe added.
But celebrations are on hold: Tiafoe faces the formidable Rafael Nadal next. “Yeah, I can’t do anything [to celebrate]. He’s gonna run me around like crazy. I need to go to sleep right now …”
3. Kerber’s conqueror is up for the fight
Another American to pull off a big upset on Sunday was Danielle Collins, over former champion Angelique Kerber, at No.2 the highest seed to fall.
MORE: Collins stuns Kerber to make quarters
The German trounced Collins 6-1 6-1 at Eastbourne last June ahead of her Wimbledon triumph over Serena Williams. But the world No.35, a two-time college champion at the University of Virginia and a budding screenwriter, flipped the script on her preferred hardcourt, winning 6-0 6-2.
Kerber was barely recognisable as the dominator of Kimberly Birrell on her birthday Friday night. There was a bit of niggle in the match, with Kerber leaving the court for a bathroom break after the first set, and the flinty Collins getting vocal on the resumption.
“I love making it kind of a war,” said the articulate media-studies graduate. “If someone wants to get in my face over my unforced errors, I have no problem getting right back at them and making it a feisty match.
“I love that, embrace it. I love when things get competitive. You haven’t seen me at Topgolf or bowling. Even karaoke. I don’t have a good voice but I still tell myself I’m the best. You got to believe it, right?”
The 25-year-old is into her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in her main-draw debut at Melbourne Park. A year ago, ranked 160, she took a game from Denisa Allertova in the last round of qualifying. Self-belief is clearly not lacking.
AO 2016 champion Kerber is Collins’ third seeded victim. She upended No.14 Julia Goerges in the first round and pushed past No.19 Caroline Garcia in the third. A potential all-American quarterfinal looms with 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens.
4. Xisca’s straight into the main draw
The notoriously private Nadal squirmed more in his post-match interview than during his fourth round against Tomas Berdych, shrugging off a set-point on his serve at 5-6 to trounce the Czech 6-0 6-1 7-6(4) at Rod Laver Arena.
MORE: Ruthless Nadal gives Berd bath
Jim Courier acknowledged Rafa’s long-time love Maria Francisca (Xisca) Perello was again at Melbourne Park, after a belated debut Down Under in 2017. Nadal then dubbed her a ‘wildcard’.
No wildcard this time. Xisca, Nadal confirmed, is a main-draw player. “Now after 14 years together she doesn’t need wildcard anymore. She’s coming wherever she wants …”.
5. A pair of Aussie favourites combine
Two of the AO’s most beloved champions returned to the fray on Sunday. Nine years on from their sparkling 2011 final, long-time honorary Aussie Kim Clijsters, 35, and Chinese charmer Li Na, 36, teamed up for the Legends event at 1573 Arena. They had a win over Lindsay Davenport, the 2000 champion here, and Aussie doubles champ Rennae Stubbs.
The AO 2011 final, won 3-6 6-3 6-3 by Clijsters, marked a techtonic shift in the game, with Li the first Asian player to contest a Grand Slam singles final. (Since then we’ve had Kei Nishikori reaching the 2014 US Open final, and Naomi Osaka going one better at Flushing Meadows last September.)
Li sealed her legend as the first Asian Grand Slam champion at Roland Garros 2011, months after her Melbourne Park breakthrough. She returned to the final here in 2013, losing a dramatic decider against Victoria Azarenka, again in three sets, before finally claimed her favourite ‘Daphne’ trophy (named for five-time champion Daphne Akhurst) over Dominika Cibulkova in 2014.