Stefanos Tsitsipas is the first man into the fourth round at Melbourne Park, a testing 6-3 3-6 7-6(7) 6-4 indoor win over Nikoloz Basilashvili setting up an intergenerational clash with Roger Federer.
The young Greek has predictably been a sensation in Melbourne, a city with arguably the largest Hellenic population outside Greece. But Tsitsipas’ rowdy support almost cost him the pivotal third set at Margaret Court Arena.
Serving at 5-3, 40-30, Tsitsipas thought he’d clinched the set after Basilashvili’s return found the net. But a call from the stand as the Georgian made contact was judged a hindrance, and the point replayed. Tsitsipas lost three straight points to surrender serve, was docked a first serve on a time violation, and given a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct as he vented in Greek at the stand.
The entire tenor of the match threatened to shift, with the No.15 having to survive a set-point in the tiebreak before clinching it 9-7 on his second opportunity with a dazzling drop shot-lob combo.
Basilashvili, seeded 19 and coming off a career-best fourth round at the US Open, then called the trainers out for treatment on a blistered foot. He didn’t need any more obstacles in fending off the range of the Tsitsipas game. The 26-year-old survived a match point in the ninth game before the youngster served it out 6-4 in just under three hours.
A late-morning steamy downpour forced players at Melbourne Park indoors; the heavy conditions markedly different from the hot and lively atmosphere of Tsitispas’ last win over Victor Troicki.
Without the sun, Tsitsipas seemed to power on a lower energy setting, his rock-star hair frizzed in the humidity. After taking the first set, he was wayward at times in the second, as Basilashvili, a tensile baseliner and fluent hitter, evened at 6-3. But the No.19 seeded Georgian left the court just as he wrested the momentum and was broken to love in his first game back, leaving Tsitsipas 2-0 up and in command.
The 2018 Next Gen champion urged himself on, with the motivation of a Rod Laver Arena debut against the six-time and defending champion.
“If Roger wins it’s going to be amazing playing in Rod Laver Arena,” the 20-year-old said post-match, before Federer completed his win over Taylor Fritz. “But….” he cheekily added, “I hope Taylor wins.”
Tsitsipas played Federer for the first time just a fortnight ago in Hopman up, with the Swiss great edging the youngster in two tiebreaks. Tsitsipas led 4-1in the first tiebreak, and then combined with Maria Sakkari to top Federer and Belinda Bencic in a wildly entertaining mixed doubles, showing off his prowess at the net.
The first Greek to win an ATP singles title, Tsitsipas is already the best-performed Greek man in Grand Slams.
“I’m delighted. It was a tough match today, conditions were really different than the other days,” Tsitsipas said.
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He thanked his excited army of fans: “I feel so comfortable, I feel like I’m playing at home. I never played with so many Greek people supporting me. And Aussies!”
Good chance Tsitsipas will not be the crowd favourite next round.