By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, October 26, 2023
Stefanos Tsitsipas ran through 16 straight points on serve surging through six of the final seven games to edge Tomas Machac 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and reach the Vienna quarterfinals.
Photo credit: Erste Bank Open Facebook
Transition tennis isn’t just a pathway to the frontcourt for Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Facing a 1-4 deficit in the final set to Tomas Machac today, Tsitsipas turned up the velocity on serve.
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Tsitsipas torched through 16 consecutive points on serve surging through six of the final seven games to edge Machac 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and reach the Vienna quarterfinals for the first time.
The fourth-seeded Tsitispas hit 10 aces and won 41 of 51 first-serve points raising his 2023 record to 47-20.
Earlier, top-seeded Daniil Medvedev pumped 14 aces overcoming Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Defending champion Medvedev scored his seventh straight win in Vienna and will face No. 8-seeded compatriot Karen Khachanov for a semifinal spot.
It’s the ninth quarterfinal of the year for Tsitsipas, who will face Borna Gojo next.
Croatian wild card Gojo swept sixth-seeded Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-4, saving both break points he faced in a one hour, 24-minute triumph.
Spare a thought for Czech qualifier Machac, who outplayed the Australian Open finalist building that 4-1 third-set lead. Machac hit one more winner than Tsitsipas (30 to 29) and was the more proactive player at net with several stab volleys. Tsitsipas’ serving combined with apparent calf cramps conspired to thwart Machac, who was aiming for his first Top 10 win in five attempts.
Hitting off the front foot, Tsitsipas won 12 of the first 15 points charging out to a 3-0 lead. The two-time Grand Slam finalist collected the first set and was holding comfortably for much of the second set.
Even at 4-all, Machac made a superb stand at net wristing back several lunging volleys. That stirring sequence, combined with a couple of aces, helped the qualifier hold for 5-4.
Pouncing on a slice backhand, Machac jammed a backhand winner down the line for set points in the following game. Tsitsipas serve-and-volleyed but netted a high backhand volley as Machac broke to force a final set.
Showing his athleticism, Machac hit a sliding backhand from the alley, recovered and hit a forehand pass for triple break point. When Tsitsipas slapped a forehand into net, Machac broke for 3-1.
Machac stamped his second straight love hold backing up the break for 4-1.
As father and coach Apostolos Tsitsipas shouted encouragement from the box, Stefanos Tsitsipas hammered a backhand pass crosscourt for double break point in the seventh game.
The qualifier caught the sideline with a drive to deny the first break point but sprayed a forehand wide ceding the break to Tsitsipas, who was back on serve at 3-4.
A revitalized Tsitsipas torched his eighth ace down the T to even the set after eight games.
Serving at 5-all, Machac saved two break points then backpedaled and pounded down a smash erasing a third break point. An increasingly weary Machac wasn’t moving as fluidly and wasn’t imparting the same sting on his shots. Tsitsipas drew successive errors breaking for 6-5.
Slapping at his calves in frustration between points, Machac continued to extend points, but Tsitsipas was tuned in on serve smacking a backhand pass for triple match point.
Curling a crosscourt forehand, Tsitsipas closed match winning 16 consecutive points on serve.