Stefanos Tsitsipas stuns Rafael Nadal at Australian Open, to face Daniil Medvedev in semi-final
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Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday stunned 20-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal 3-6; 2-6; 7-6 (4); 6-4;7-5 at the Australian Open 2021 to set-up a cracking semi-final encounter against Daniil Medvedev.
Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday stunned 20-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-5 at the Australian Open 2021 to set-up a cracking semi-final encounter against Daniil Medvedev. Tsitsipas came back from 2 sets down to defeat the Spaniard as he became the only the second player to beat Nadal from that scoreline.
Nadal, a second seed, was on course for a comfortable win as the Spaniard won the first two set. However, Tsitsipas upped the ante to turn around the match and prevailed 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-5 in a seismic upset.
"I don't know what happened after the third set -- I fly like little bird, everything was working for me," Tsitsipas said.
"The emotions at the end were indescribable, they were something else."
Nadal lost the match after going two sets up in a Grand Slam - only twice in his career - having previously been defeated by Fabio Fognini in the third round of the US Open 2015.
Nadal, 34, ends the Australian Open 2021 tied with Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles. However, Novak Djokovic can still pull within the two if he goes on to win his 18th Grand Slam at Melbourne Park. Djokovic will play the other semi-final against Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev.
Fifth seed Tsitsipas will not look to reach his maiden Grand Slam final when he takes the court to face an in-form Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final. Tsitsipas defeated Nadal for just the second time off eight matches.
Australian Open 2021 Quarter-Final results:
Men's singles
Daniil Medvedev (RUS x4) bt Andrey Rublev (RUS x7) 7-5, 6-3, 6-2
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) bt Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-5
Women's singles
Karolina Muchova (CZE x25) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
Jennifer Brady (USA x22) bt Jessica Pegula (USA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1