By Tennis Now | Thursday, August 1, 2019
Stefanos Tsitsipas pronounced himself ready to take the Washington, D.C. title after defeating Jordan Thompson, 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach his second straight Citi Open quarterfinal.
Photo credit: Citi Open Facebook
Stefanos Tsitsipas has experienced both growing pains and maturity gains in his Washington, D.C. return.
Tonight, Tsitsipas showed competitive wisdom at crunch time conquering Jordan Thompson, 6-3, 7-6 (4), to advance to his 10th quarterfinal of the season.
Watch: Tsitsipas Spent Three Days Locked in HIs Room After Wimbledon
It's Tsitsipas' second straight Citi Open quarterfinal.
The top-seeded Tsitsipas will take on Benoit Paire in tomorrow's quarterfinals.
The 10th-seeded Paire slipped past three-time finalist John Isner, 7-6 (3), 6-3. Paire won his only prior meeting with Tsitsipas at the 2017 Metz.
Tsitsipas won 11 of 14 net points and denied all four break points he faced improving to 36-15 on the season.
The 20-year-old Greek cruised through the 29-minute opening set. Thompson tested him in the second set earning break points before Tsitsipas withstood the stress to force the tie break.
In a crucial 20-shot rally, Tsitsipas played diligent defense repelling everything the Aussie threw at him then lofting a lob that kissed the baseline coaxing Thompson to shank a slice smash. That sequence gave Tsitsipas match point. He closed in one hour, 39 minutes.
An excellent tie break player, Tsitsipas raised his 2019 tie break record to 20-7.
"I think it all comes in crucial situations," Tsitsipas told Tennis Channel's Russ Thaler afterward. "Today, for example, I had a chance to close it. I didn't convert those two break points. It was kind of tricky at the end he got some break points."
The Australian Open semifinalist said if he can manage his nerve, his level of play is good enough to take the title.
"I believe if I manage to handle those situations a little more maturely, why not?" Tsitsipas said. "I'm sure I can do well, even win this tournament .I have to handle these situations a bit wiser."
Sixth-seeded Marin Cilic swept 18-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 6-4.
The 2014 US Open champion will play for a spot in his third career Washington, D.C. semifinal when he faces Daniil Medvedev tomorrow. The third-seeded Russian converted four of seven break points dispatching Frances Tiafoe, 6-2, 7-5.
Afterward, Tiafoe announced his withdrawal from next week's Rogers Cup in Montreal due to a foot injury he sustained earlier this week. The 23-year-old Medvedev is playing for his fifth career title.