STEFANOS Tsitsipas has joined an incredibly rare club that features just Roger Federer and Fabio Fognini, in coming from two sets to love down to defeat Rafael Nadal in a five-set match. The fifth seed Greek sensation looked down and out when the Spaniard raced to a 6-3 6-2 lead in the pair’s semi-final, but Tsitsipas refused to give in, winning a crunch third set tiebreaker, then finding a way to plough through and win in four hours and five minutes, 3-6 2-6 7-6 6-4 7-5.

Each set was a little different, with both players hitting seven winners – including two aces – in the first set, but Tsitsipas was a bit loose with his shots, committing 12 unforced errors to five. The King of Clay only dropped eight points on serve, but the fifth seed was even more efficient with only six points lost, though somehow Nadal took full advantage to break him from the one opportunity the world number two had. The second set was more dominant for Nadal, whom while both served at just 50 per cent efficiency, the Spaniard won nine of 10 first serve points and seven of 10 second serve points, breaking twice from two chances. Nadal also hit 11 winners to six and had five unforced errors to eight. At two sets to love up, Nadal had hit 18 winners for only 10 unforced errors, while Tsitsipas had 13 and 20, though the key was Nadal taking all three break point chances as his Greek opponent had not created one yet.

Then the tide began to slowly turn. First it was off his serve, with Tsitsipas – though still serving at 56 per cent compared to 77 per cent – only dropped four points on serve, the same as Nadal. Neither player was giving an inch when on serve, with Nadal picking up the power for 14 winners, but he reached double-figure unforced errors with 11, while Tsitsipas went the other way, with nine and four. A 7-4 tiebreaker win gave the fifth seed a glimmer of home. Then Nadal’s serving started to uncharacteristically drop off as Tsitsipas stepped up. The Spaniard won just 65 per cent of his first serve points, and 45 per cent of his second serve points; Tsitsipas maintained a strong 86 and 73 per cent record. Again the Greek talent was more measured with nine and six winners and unforced errors respectively, but crucially picked up his first break from four chances, without conceding a break point. The stage was set for a ripping fifth set.

As if powered on by the imaginary crowd, Tsitsipas found a way to do something that so few had done before, lift against Nadal in the fifth set and go to another level. He produced a match-high seven aces in the deciding set, and served at a whopping 78 per cent efficiency. Nadal also lifted to go up to 70 per cent, and neither could break. Tsitsipas and Nadal both hit double-figure winners with 18 and 12 respectively, while the Greek fifth seed had just one break point opportunity, though in the weirdest of circumstances. As if the pressure had got to him, in a completely un-Nadal style, the Spanish number two hit four consecutive unforced errors to lose the eleventh game of the fifth set to love, and whilst he had a break point chance in the final game, and saved a match point, Nadal eventually went down thanks to a backhand winner from Tsitsipas who sealed the most remarkable win.

“I have no words to describe what has just happened on the court, my tennis speaks for itself,” Tsitsipas said post-match. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to fight at such a high level and leave it out on the court. “I started very nervously. “I don’t know what happened after the third set. I flew like a bird and everything worked for me.”

It was one of the games of the tournament with Nadal smashing 58 winners to 49, and Tsitsipas having four less unforced errors (38-42). The Spaniard broke three times from four chances, while Tsitsipas broke twice from five, and just three points separated them by game’s end, as Tsitsipas won 145 total points to Nadal’s 142 to book his spot in the semi-final against Russian Daniil Medvedev.

“[Medvedev] plays very well and has been very consistent, with lots of consecutive wins,” Tsitsipas said. “I need to recover and have a good ice bath. I am looking forward to the match and each match I play here is an opportunity to play my best tennis. It will be amazing to see the crowds again.”

Medvedev’s win over compatriot Andrey Rublev was a little more clinical, winning 7-5 6-3 6-2  in two hours and five minutes. Both players have been in great form of late, and the fourth seed came through with the goods thanks to a dominant serving performance. Medvedev produced 14 aces to three, and won 80 per cent of his first serve points off a 60 per cent efficiency, while hitting 30 winners to 20 and conceding six less unforced errors (33-39). The higher ranked Russian also broke five times from 11 chances and won 38 per cent of his receiving points, while Rublev broke the once from five chances and won 27 per cent of his receiving points.

“Andrey was definitely one of the favourites to go far in this tournament,” Medvedev said. “To win this match in three sets, especially [with] how physical it was, was [an] amazing level from me. I’m really happy about it…. We had some unbelievable rallies. I think the match was high quality. It’s the first time to be honest [that] I saw Andrey tired.”

The quarter finals results mean that Nadal’s bid to win a standalone record 21 Grand Slams comes to an end, as does a bid to snatch the number one spot if he was to win the title over Novak Djokovic. Instead, Djokovic will break Federer’s record for the most weeks in the number one spot at 311. Djokovic takes on Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev tonight to decide the first finalist.

QUARTER FINALS RESULTS:

[4] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) defeated [7] Andrey Rublev (RUS) 7-5 6-3 6-2
[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) defeated [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) 3-6 2-6 7-6 6-4 7-5

Picture credit: Peter Staples/ATP Tour