Greek freak Tsitsipas continues history-making run
Greek excitement machine Stefanos Tsitsipas’s thrilling and history-making run at the Australian Open has continued with a four-set quarter-final victory over Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
With thousands of Greek-Australian fans cheering him on from the stands at Rod Laver Arena and outside on Garden Square, Tsitsipas won 7-5 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in a match lasting three hours and 15 minutes.
The 14th seed will play either Spanish No.2 seed Rafael Nadal or unseeded American Frances Tiafoe in the semis on Thursday night.
Two days after ending Roger Federer’s bid for a 21st major title with an upset fourth-round win, Tsitsipas repeated the dose against the 22nd-seeded Bautista Agut in what was a first appearance in the last eight of a major for both players.
“It feels like a fairytale almost – I am just living the dream,” said Tsitsipas after becoming the first Greek man to make a grand slam semi-final.
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“Living what I have been working hard for.
“I feel a bit emotional but not too much because I know that I really worked hard to get here, to play in the semis of a grand slam.
“When I started the year they asked me what are my goals this year and I said ‘semi, of a grand slam’, and I thought when I was answering this question I thought I was crazy.
“But, no. It is real.”
Having gone four sets against Federer without once dropping his serve, the Greek was broken in the opening game of Tuesday’s clash with Bautista Agut.
The pair split the opening two sets, only for Tsitsipas to claim the third with his third set point after successfully chasing down a drop shot.
Bautista Agut saved one match point in the 12th game of the fourth set after a thrilling 23-shot rally, but he was outclassed in the ensuing tiebreak.
Three of the Spaniard’s four wins at Melbourne Park this year had come in five-setters, including a first-round victory over Scottish great Andy Murray and in the second round against local hope John Millman.