By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday July 27, 2021
France's Ugo Humbert rallied from a set down to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Tokyo Olympics.
Photo Source: Getty
Third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas was considered to be one of the players in medal contention as round of 16 action at the Tokyo Olympics began on a blustery Wednesday afternoon at the Ariake Tennis Complex—maybe even a Gold medal.
But his hopes flickered quickly as the Greek squandered a one-set lead to fall to France’s dynamic southpaw Ugo Humbert, 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2.
Gone is the Tsitsipas v Daniil Medvedev semifinal that many expected to see. Still alive is a rising Frenchman who has yet to tap his vast potential on the ATP Tour. Maybe this could be Ugo Humbert's breakthrough moment.
Humbert, who hit 24 baseline winners (16 forehand) to just 8 for Tsitsipas, improves to 2-0 lifetime against Tsitsipas with his win, proving that his three-set triumph over the Greek at Paris Indoors last year was no fluke, and he sets up a quarterfinal tilt with Russia’s Karen Khachanov (who defeated Diego Schwartzman).
Tsitsipas ran away with the opening set but Humbert clawed to stay alive in set two, a stanza which featured no breaks of serve and ended when Humbert took the tiebreaker as Tsitsipas lay on the court, grimacing in the heat and favoring his right leg.
Tsitsipas would get treatment on court, before heading off for a cool-off. When he returned Humbert was there to greet him with some more flawless tennis. Tsitsipas held in the first game but the 23-year-old World No.28 took the next five games, breaking twice in succession to all but wrap the contest up.
Tsitsipas did hold for 2-5 and pushed for a break in the final game, earning four break points, but could not convert.
Nishikori powers through
Kei Nishikori had success as Japan’s remaining singles player on Wednesday, defeating Ilya Ivashka of Belarus, 7-6(7), 6-0 to reach the quarterfinals. The Japanese star, a bronze medalist at the Rio Games, will face either Novak Djokovic or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarterfinals.