yesterday 11:14
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The journey of the Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas at the final grand slam of the US Open season ended in the third round on an unexpected opponent. Only eighteen-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz defeated the third player, who became the youngest eight-finalist in the Big Four tournament since 1992 after a five-hundred-and-a-half-hour battle.
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Alcaraz succeeded 6: 3, 4: 6, 7: 6 (2), 0: 6, 7: 6 (5) and is also the youngest player since 1989, who managed to beat the opponent from the first three. 32 years ago, only 17-year-old Michael Chang defeated Ivan Lendl’s unit and Stefan Edberg’s trio on Roland Garros.
“I don’t think I could have done it without the audience. I was at the bottom in the fourth set, but the audience pushed me and thank them. I feel indescribable.” quoted Alcaraza on the ATP website.
For the young Spaniard, who is 55th in the ATP rankings, this is the biggest victory of his career so far: “It means a lot to me, I played my best match and defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas is like a dream come true.” In the next round, he will meet the unattached German Peter Gojowczyk.
The elimination of Tsitsipasa was not the only surprise of Friday’s program. After two duels, defending champion Naomi Osaková was also ordered. Eighteen-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez ended her 16-game grand slam winning streak after a 5: 7, 7: 6 (2), 6: 3 triumph.
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“I knew from an early age that I could beat anyone. Even in different sports, I was always very competitive. I always thought I would win, even though I played football against my father, I always believed. I think now faith has become a reality, “ said Fernandez, who was also considering a football career. In the round of 16, she faces another difficult test when she encounters the seventeen event of the event, German Angelique Kerber.
For Osakova, the match had a bitter taste. She struggles all year with the mental problems for which she resigned from Roland Garros. Losing with a young opponent did not add to her well and at the post-match press conference she admitted that she was considering another break from tennis. She could barely hold back tears at her words:
“Lately, I don’t feel happy even when I win, it’s more of a relief. But when I lose, I’m very sad. I don’t think it’s normal. It’s hard to explain. Basically, I feel like I’m at a point where I want to find out. “What I really want to do. Honestly, I have no idea when I’m going to play another tennis game. I think I’ll take a break.”
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