Stefanos Tsitsipas could be mistaken for a Melburnian discussing the merits of the Victorian state capital.
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“Everything is excellent here,” said the 25-year-old after advancing to the Australian Open round of 16 for a fourth consecutive year. “The people, the weather, the food.
“Being here, there is no foreign feeling, and that creates a great climate to play tennis [in],” added the seventh seed, after earning a 6-3 6-0 6-4 win over Luca Van Assche at Rod Laver Arena in two minutes over two hours. “It feels almost like home.”
The world No.7, who dropped the opening set in his first two rounds against Zizou Bergs and Jordan Thompson, made a conscious effort to avoid that fate on Friday.
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“It’s not easy always having to fight back and show your best tennis in the second set, I wanted to [come] out here and show that passionate, determined Stef from the very beginning,” he said.
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“I was constantly trying to push myself and exceed my own expectations, and I’m happy it worked out.”
The right-hander was happy with his performance, having won 75 per cent of first serve points and 69 per cent of net points.
“Things worked out for me pretty nicely at moments that I needed it the most,” said the Greek, who converted six of eight break point chances and saved eight of nine on his own racquet.
At John Cain Arena, Taylor Fritz secured a 3-6 6-4 6-2 6-2 comeback victory over Fabian Marozsan in their first meeting. The 12th seed was impressed by the level of his Hungarian rival who, at 24, made his AO debut this week.
“He was hitting his forehand really well, hitting his backhand really well, returning solid,” Fritz said.
The 26-year-old was pleased with his ability to lift his game when needed, something he struggled with at most majors last year. “I raised my level a lot, and I played really, really well in the last sets,” said Fritz, who struck 19 aces during the match.
The former world No.5 says his serve at AO 2024 and at the United Cup, his first tournament back since an oblique tear, is getting closer to where he wants it.
“I've definitely found my rhythm on the serve and even when it's not feeling great, it's still consistently better than I think it was at the [US] Open,” said Fritz.
Fritz said he’s excited for a rematch with Tsitsipas, where he has a chance to avenge his five-set defeat during the AO 2022 fourth round. Tsitsipas, too, recalls that epic fondly.
“These moments are some of the ones that I do remember the best,” he said. “The intensity that I brought with me at that particular match was impressive, and I'm hoping to replicate it and give it my best shot against him.”
Greece’s most successful tennis player has a 3-1 head-to-head lead over Fritz, though the American won their last tussle in straight sets at the Monte Carlo Masters last year.
Elsewhere, 20th seed Adrian Mannarino sent French fans into a frenzy at Kia Arena by upsetting 16th seed Ben Shelton in a captivating Friday night battle that lasted four hours and 46 minutes.
The veteran Frenchman triumphed 7-6(4) 1-6 6-7(2) 6-3 6-4 over the dynamic 21-year-old, marking his ninth-straight win over a fellow leftie. The result also extended an unexpected streak: after five attempts, Shelton is yet to defeat a fellow southpaw at Tour level.
“I just kept fighting until the end,” said an ecstatic Mannarino, who saved 14 of 21 break points and struck 24 fewer winners than his younger foe’s 73.
“It’s amazing for me to be in the fourth round, I don’t want to think about what’s next,” he grinned.
When he’s ready to find out, the 35-year-old will learn he's booked a date with top seed and 10-time champion Novak Djokovic, who accounted for Tomas Martin Etcheverry in straight sets.