Melbourne: Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas showed resilience and maturity to power into a fairytale Australian Open semifinal here, Tuesday after sweeping past Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.
Roger Federer’s conqueror had to contend with dropping his serve early in each of the first three sets to the 22nd seed before coming through 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7/2) in 195 minutes.
“It all feels like a fairytale almost,” said the 20-year-old after holding his head in his hands in disbelief and sinking to the floor on Rod Laver Arena. “I’m just living the dream, living what I’ve been working hard for.
“I was once asked my goals this year and said semis Grand Slam. And when I was answering this question, I thought I was crazy. But it is real. It just happened,” added the youngster.
Tsitsipas will face either World No.2 Rafael Nadal or unseeded Frances Tiafoe for a place in the final.
For the 30-year-old Bautista Agut this was his first quarterfinal at this level and his wait for a maiden Grand Slam semifinal will continue.
Federer did not win any of 12 breakpoints in a four-set defeat against 14th seed Tsitsipas in round four, but Bautista Agut managed it on his first in the opening game of the match.
There was no panic from the 20-year-old from Athens and he broke back before stealing the set 7-5 with a second break created by a rasping forehand winner that flat-footed the Spaniard.
Bautista Agut went 2-1 up in the second set with another early break as the Tsitsipas first serve momentarily deserted him. This time the Spaniard stayed on top and levelled the match 6-4.
Another break for Bautista Agut came in the fifth game of the third set. But with the crowd beginning to get more involved, Tsitsipas outlasted the Spaniard in a gruelling game to level at 4-4. And when another break followed the Athenian artist had his nose back in front and the Spaniard could see the match slipping away.
The gutsy Spaniard successfully served to stay in the match for the first time at 4-5. He then showed incredible resilience at 5-6, 30-40 to repel a first match point after a 21-shot baseline rally.
But Tsitsipas jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the subsequent tie-break and secured the match on the first of four more match points.
AFP