MELBOURNE/WASHINGTON, February 17, 2021 (by Michael Dickens)
Tennis fans around the world were treated to a late-night thriller Wednesday by rising Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas and 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal of Spain in the men’s quarterfinals of the Australian Open in Melbourne. In this battle of generations between the 22-year-old Tsitsipas and 34-year-old Nadal, it was the Spaniard who jumped ahead to a two-set lead. Then, Tsitsipas found his tennis nirvana.
Stunning Stef 😅#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/bUzSCKeM3N
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Over the course of four hours and five minutes on Rod Laver Arena, both Nadal (only once an Australian Open champion during his Hall of Fame-worthy career) and Tsitipas battled valiantly, and each cracked a variety of shots that were as dazzling and remarkable as they were brutally powerful.
Tsitsipas fired 17 aces and hit 49 winners and 38 unforced errors. Nadal’s numbers were just as telling: 15 aces, 58 winners and 42 unforced errors. Each won a high volume of points on their first serve: Tsitsipas won 79 percent (66 of 84) and Nadal was just as effective, winning 78 percent (80 of 103). Both players were strong at the net with Tsitsipas winning 23 of 31 points and Nadal converted on 21 of 25. There were a total of 287 points played and just three separated them at the end, with Tsitsipas ahead 145-142.
It’s not about how many times you fall, but how many you get back up…#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/hgq1K5eaaH
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
It’s only too bad that because of a recent spike in coronavirus cases in the Melbourne area, Nadal and Tsitsipas played without a sell-out crowd, an audience to wildly applaud their efforts. There was nobody save for their respective teams to feed off. Tsitsipas later said during his press conference that “maybe the absence of the crowd” helped him to remain calm.
As it happened, in the final game of the match as midnight approached, with Tsitsipas ahead 6-5 and serving match point, he hit a backhand sizzler up the line that eluded Nadal for game, set and match. It closed out a 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 7-5 victory for Tsitsipas that arguably was the biggest triumph of his young career. He survived to play another day and will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal round on Friday evening. Earlier Wednesday, Medvedev defeated fellow Russian Andrey Rublev, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
No other sport like it 🤝#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/uRE27zawJI
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Here’s a sampling of what each player had to say during their respective press conferences that followed the match, first beginning with Nadal and followed by Tsitsipas:
How do you assess your feelings right now?
Nadal: “Oh, of course sad. I lost a match in quarterfinals of an event that mean a lot to me. Australian Open is one of my favorite events, without a doubt. So, I missed an opportunity to be in that semifinals again. And that’s it.
“Well done for him. He played better than me probably in important moments. Was an equal match.
“I tried my best in every single moment. With the right attitude. No complaining (smiling) at all in no one moment, even in the tougher moments.
“Just trying to, I think I stayed positive all the time during the match, fighting. And was not enough. Sometimes, it’s enough. Today was not enough.
“And that’s it. Just another story in my tennis career (smiling). That’s it. No, another match I lost here in Australia with important advantage, and just accept and keep going. That’ the life.”
Good vibes only 💯#AusOpen | #AO2021 | @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/Bwx93EgqBG
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Can you tell us about what you were feeling like … those emotions?
Tsitsipas: “Well, there weren’t really many things that were going through my head. I was just enjoying the moment, and I wasn’t really thinking of, I don’t know, the future. There wasn’t really much to think of. What happened out on the court was spectacular by itself. Nothing really to describe it. …
“Moments like this haven’t happened a lot in my career, and the fact that I was able to come back the way I did and the way I fought against such a top, respected player like Rafa was something extra, something I have never felt before. It was a first-timer. And to be able to just walk up to my team and hug them and share that little moment of appreciation and solidarity, it was epic.
“It was everything I ever dreamed of, and I’m glad that I am where I am today. There is obviously light ahead at the end of the tunnel, and there is plenty more to go.”
“It was epic. It was everything I ever dreamed of.”
Soak it in, @steftsitsipas 👍#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/B2y6kJLhfw
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Phillips Island Trophy field down to four
The semifinals of the WTA’s Phillips Island Trophy at Melbourne Park are down to the last four. In Thursday’s semifinals, it will be No. 2 seed Bianca Andreescu of Canada against No. 13 seed Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic, and No. 8 seed Danielle Collins against unseeded Daria Kasatkina of Russia.
.@Bandreescu_ completes the #PhillipIslandWTA semifinal lineup!
The No.2 seed defeats Begu 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5). pic.twitter.com/ePve6DDSQI
— wta (@WTA) February 17, 2021
What a point from @MarieBouzkova! #PhillipIslandWTA pic.twitter.com/UA46Nmw8Yr
— wta (@WTA) February 17, 2021
Men’s and women’s wheelchair champions crowned
Congratulations to our men’s wheelchair singles champion 🏆@JoachimGerard claims his first Grand Slam singles title with a 6-0 4-6 6-4 win over Hewett! 🇧🇪👏#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/vVe2fqHN7x
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
🏆🏆🏆#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/GT5RpNCdUk
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Dylan Alcott wins seventh AO quad wheelchair title
No.7⃣ 🏆@DylanAlcott has done it again!! 💙#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/AcAjz1BIJ4
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
“I don’t know how many more I’ve got left in me but maybe I’ll have to do one more…”@DylanAlcott you’re an absolute ⭐️🏆#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/OK4x92nhV2
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
AO men’s doubles reaches semifinal round
Moving into the #AusOpen doubles semi-finals 🎾@RajeevRam & @joesalisbury92 d. Daniell & Oswald 7-6(6), 6-2@jamie_murray & @BrunoSoares82 d. Arevalo & Middelkoop 6-3, 6-4 pic.twitter.com/1beEgimRDt
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 17, 2021
It’s gotta be the shoes!
Stylin’ 😎@serenawilliams @naomiosaka | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/uiykCTau8T
— wta (@WTA) February 17, 2021
It’s all in the details, right?
It’s all in the details 👀
🇪🇸 @RafaelNadal x @steftsitsipas 🇬🇷#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/0lY7XdZnqM
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Karolina Muchova: The story behind her camera lens drawings
“I don’t have my coach, half of the team actually, I have them all home in Czech. This is the picture of our WhatsApp group. It’s an African sign, it means heartiness and toughness. I draw it to tell them hi back to Czech.”
– @karomuchova7#AO2021pic.twitter.com/IvgavVYb7W
— wta (@WTA) February 17, 2021
Sofia Kenin: Has surgery to remove appendix
Hey guys! I want to share with you what happened to me a few days ago..
I went to the tournament physician office on Monday, February 15th with acute abdominal pain. I was evaluated by the tournament physician and referred to the hospital for further evaluation. pic.twitter.com/dkIc0PEE9r
— Sofia Kenin (@SofiaKenin) February 17, 2021
Australian Open: Welcomes back fans on Thursday
The Australian Open will welcomefans back to Melbourne Park on Thursday with attendance capped at 7,477 – approximately 50 percent capacity. Masks are required.
Ready to welcome all of our mates back 😀
🔜 return of the fans to #AO2021 👉 https://t.co/21ujUHgcU2 pic.twitter.com/73TDLMNG58
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
AO men’s and women’s singles semifinal fields
Your #AO2021 Men’s Singles Final 4 🔒
🇷🇸 Djokovic v 🇷🇺 Karatsev
🇷🇺 Medvedev v 🇬🇷 Tsitsipas@Kia_Worldwide | #Kia | #MovementThatInspires | #KiaTennis pic.twitter.com/xejRrmEbfL— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
Your #AO2021 Women’s Singles Final 4 🔒
🇨🇿 Muchova v 🇺🇸 Brady
🇯🇵 Osaka v 🇺🇸 S. Williams@Kia_Worldwide | #Kia | #MovementThatInspires | #KiaTennis pic.twitter.com/PLaHktpaiI— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
By the numbers
🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/VT8RI6JP4E
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 17, 2021
Two Russian men are in the Australian Open men’s singles semi-finals for the very first time! 🇷🇺@DaniilMedwed | @AsKaratsev | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/xnVocceu5z
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 17, 2021
What they’re saying
“If we have a Russian final it’s just going to be a dream come true but we are going to have tough matches” @DaniilMedwed and @AsKaratsev ensure two Russian men are through to the #AusOpen semifinals for the very first time! 🇷🇺🇷🇺#AO2021 pic.twitter.com/kz8HXFUeqy
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
The summer of Su-Wei continues 😃@jennifurbrady95‘s reaction when she found out she had a fan in the crowd today is priceless 😂#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/v0dOZ9qZB4
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 17, 2021
An attitude that highlights why @ashbarty is world No.1 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ukg7AOY82S
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) February 17, 2021
What they’re posting on social media
Amazing player but better person. Thanks Jen for pushing me and inspiring me at the same time. Keep shinningggg 💙 https://t.co/hVuQNCH6hu
— Jessie Pegula (@JLPegula) February 17, 2021