TORONTO, August 11, 2018
There are three new faces in the semi-finals at the Rogers Cup on Saturday. World No. 1 and three-time Rogers Cup champion Rafael Nadal, who rallied past Marin Cilic 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, is making his sixth semi-final showing on Canadian soil while No. 4 seed Kevin Anderson and unseeded Karen Khachanov and Stefanos Tsitsipas are making their debuts in the stage of the final four in Canada.
The 19-year-old Tsitsipas, who turns 20 on Sunday, has posted three straight Top 10 wins this week over No. 8 Dominic Thiem, No. 10 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 seed as well as reigning Rogers Cup champion Alexander Zverev. The #NextGenATP star from Greece saved two match points in Friday’s quarterfinal match against the young German to seal a 3-6, 7-6(11), 6-4 win in two hours and 27 minutes.
“I changed completely since last year — I’m a different player,” Tsitsipas said of his fast rise on tour. “I’ve evolved my game and have become more solid and a better thinker.”
“I don’t even think he played well.”
Zverev had some choice words following his loss to @StefTsitsipas at #RogersCup. pic.twitter.com/ukeOzOF17j
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) 11. August 2018
Tsitsipas is the youngest player to post three Top 10 wins at a single tournament since Nadal at the age of 19 at 2006 Monte-Carlo.
Khachanov and Tsitsipas are also appearing in their first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final. This is the second straight year two unseeded players – following Robin Haase and Denis Shapovalov – are in the Rogers Cup semi-finals.
