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Melbourne: World number 2 tennis player Rafael Nadal on Wednesday (February 17, 2021) crashed out of the Australian Open. The Spaniard lost to Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open quarter-finals at Melbourne Park.
The historic match witnessed 22-year old Stefanos Tsitsipas recovering from two sets down to stun 20-times Grand Slam champion. Tsitsipas beat Nadal 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-5.
It’s your moment @steftsitsipas
An #AusOpen semifinalist once more #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/ZgLCUxBTbY
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Rafa who had secured his 13th quarter-final spot by beating Fabio Fognini 6-3 6-4 6-2, was on course for a comfortable victory, but Tsitsipas had saved his best for the last sets and turned the match around.
The fifth seed also became the only third man to have rallied from two sets down to beat Rafa at a Grand Slam.
When you become the third person in history to defeat Rafael Nadal from two sets to love down @steftsitsipas | #AO2021 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/bqEHhOlj6i
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
“Well done for him, he played better than me probably in the important moments,” Nadal was quoted as saying by Reuters.
He added, “I tried my best in every single moment. I think I stayed positive all the time during the match, fighting, and it was not enough. Sometimes it’s enough, today was not enough.”
Tsitsipas will meet Russian Daniil Medvedev for a place in the final.
“I’m speechless. I have no words,” Tsitsipas said post-match and added, “I fly like a little bird and everything was working for me.”. He also expressed, “The emotions, in the end, are indescribable.”
“I’m speechless. I have no words.”@steftsitsipas | #AO2021 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/pSfC4671Nd
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Tsitsipas’ next hurdle will be Russia’s Daniil Medvedev who outclassed Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-3 6-2 to book a spot in the semi-finals. Medvedev extended his winning streak to 19 matches.
The other semis will be between world number one Novak Djokovic and Russian Aslan Karatsev on Thursday.
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