A STUNNING performance from Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan has left fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas struggling to comprehend what the South American produced during their first round match at the US Open. Galan – who did not drop a set during qualifying – won 11 straight games to start the match against the Greek star, winning the first two sets in an hour. From that point on, Tsitsipas put more of a fight up taking the third set, but it would not be enough as Galan, on his ninth match point, final closed out the game with a 6-0 6-1 3-6 7-5 victory.
The Round of 128 contest on Louis Armstrong Arena lasted two hours and 48 minutes, with Tsitsipas winning seven points in the first set as Galan destroyed the highly touted Tsitsipas in the first hour on court. By the time the fourth seed had clicked into gear, he was already two sets down. To his credit he bounced back to win the third 6-3, but ultimately wen down off the back of 57 unforced errors for 28 winners, compared to the Colombian’s 36 and 41 respectively.
“Definitely one of the best moments of my career,” Galan said post-match. “Definitely the best match of my career, not only because of the circumstances, also the opponent. I’m really happy.”
Galan admitted it was a lot tougher as the match went on, needing nine match points during that fourth set to finally getting done, unable to break Tsitsipas in the 10th game, and instead having to wait a couple more to do so, breaking him for the match.
“I think he started playing better in the third set. He served much better than the first two and I was putting the serve in the court, but not putting pressure on him. He was always in control,” Galan said. “I think he felt really comfortable during those two sets. I tried to change a little bit the position when I was returning and that was a change a lot because I was able to return [deeper] and he was not so offensive on the first ball, so I was able to do a little bit more.”
Galan will now take on Australian Jordan Thompson who came back from two sets to love down to knock off Italian Lorenzo Sonego. In other big upsets, Brandon Holt stunned compatriot and 10th seed Taylor Fritz, while J.J. Wolf got up with a straight sets victory over 16th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
US OPEN MEN’S SINGLES RESULTS: ROUND OF 128
[1] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) defeated Stefan Kozlov (USA) 6-2 6-4 6-0
Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) defeated [4] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 6-0 6-1 3-6 7-5
[5] Casper Ruud (NOR) defeated Kyle Edmund (GBR) 6-3 7-5 6-2
[6] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) defeated Alexander Ritschard (SUI) 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3
Brandon Holt (USA) defeated [10] Taylor Fritz (USA) 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-4
[12] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated Dominic Thiem (AUT) 7-5 6-1 5-7 6-3
[13] Matteo Berrettini (ITA) defeated Nicolas Jarry (CHI) 6-2 6-3 6-3
J.J. Wolf (USA) defeated [16] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 6-4 6-4 6-4
[18] Alex de Minaur (AUS) defeated Filip Krajinovic (SRB) 7-5 6-2 6-3
[21] Botic Van de Zandschulp (NED) defeated Tomas Machac (CZE) 3-6 7-6 6-1 3-6 7-5
[23] Nick Kyrgios (AUS) defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) 6-3 6-4 7-6
Andy Murray (GBR) defeated [24] Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) 7-5 6-3 6-3
[27] Karen Khachanov (RUS) defeated Denis Kudla (USA) 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-2
[29] Tommy Paul (USA) defeated Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP) 4-6 6-3 2-6 6-0 7-5
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) defeated [30] Maxime Cressy (USA) 6-7 7-5 5-1 RET
Yibing Wu (CHN) defeated [31] Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 6-3 6-4 6-0
Sebastian Korda (USA) defeated Facundo Bagnis (ARG) 5-7 7-6 7-5 6-1
Thiago Monteiro (BRA) defeated Alex Molcan (SVK) 6-4 4-6 6-4 6-1
Corentin Moutet (FRA) defeated Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6-4 7-6 RET
Tim van Rijthoven (NED) defeated Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) 3-6 6-7 7-6 6-1 6-4
Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) defeated Ugo Humbert (FRA) 7-6 6-1 5-7 3-6 6-2
Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) defeated Kamil Majchrzak (POL) 6-1 6-4 6-7 6-1
Jack Draper (GBR) defeated Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) 6-4 6-3 6-3
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) defeated Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) 6-3 7-5 6-3
Nuno Borges (POR) defeated Ben Shelton (USA) 7-6 3-6 7-6 6-7 6-3
Jordan Thompson (AUS) defeated Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 2-6 1-6 6-2 6-4 6-4
Alexander Bublik (KAZ) defeated Hugo Gaston (FRA) 6-4 6-4 6-4
Cristian Garin (CHI) defeated Jiri Lehecka (CZE) 3-6 7-6 7-5 6-1
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) defeated Quentin Halys (FRA) 4-6 7-6 6-3 6-2
Pedro Cachin (ARG) defeated Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-4 6-3 5-7 1-6 7-6
Jodar and Stojsavljevic claim Junior US Open titles
IT will not be a typical Tuesday for Mika Stojsavljevic today, with the latest Junior US Open winner returning to Amherst School in Loughborough with an additional piece of silverware. The 15-year-old followed in the footsteps of Emma Raducanu by winning a Grand Slam title and returning to high school the next week, with the […]
Sinner salutes for second Grand Slam title
US OPEN champion Jannik Sinner is the toast of Italy after the world number one down top ranked American Taylor Fritz in Flushing Meadows overnight to claim his second Grand slam title. After breaking through for his maiden major at the Australian Open earlier in the year, Sinner overcame home crowd favouritism to win 6-3 […]
Sabalenka salutes for third major at US Open
WORLD number two Aryna Sabalenka is now a three-time Grand Slam winner after triumphing in the US Open final over the weekend. The Belarusian star has won the past two Australian Open titles, and now has a third hardcourt major to add to her collection, going one better than her US Open runner-up performance 12 […]
Five-star Fritz defeats Foe to reach US Open final
IN an epic come-from-behind victory, top seeded American Taylor Fritz was able to knock off his compatriot Frances Tiafoe and become the first United States Grand Slam finalist in 15 years. Not since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009 has a United States representative reached a Grand Slam final, and one has to go even […]
Mu-chova, Karoline as Pegula storms into US Open final
LOCAL hope Jessica Pegula has come from behind to take down Czech Karolina Muchova, denying her opponent a spot in the US Open final, and reaching her maiden Grand Slam decider in the process. The world number six was one point away from being 6-1 3-0 down and almost out of the US Open, but […]
Brit breakthrough: Draper downs Demon
BRITISH up-and-comer Jack Draper is playing some of the best tennis of his career, with the 22-year-old seemingly past his injury-riddled years and is now into a Grand Slam semi-final. The 25th seed proved too good for a sore Alex de Minaur, winning in straight sets to reach the final four of the US Open […]
Seventh heaven for Pegula at US Open
AFTER half a dozen losing Grand Slam quarter finals, American Jessica Pegula was finally able to reach the final four at a major, defeating world number one Iga Swiatek in front of home fans. In her best major quarter final to-date, Pegula made relatively surprising light work of the top ranked player, winning 6-2 6-4 […]
Fritz’s friend to turn Foe in US Open semi
IT has been 18 years since an American reached the US Open men’s singles final – and 21 years since the home nation lifted the trophy aloft – but that drought will be broken over the weekend. While the player who achieved both of the aforementioned feats Andy Roddick is now retired, one of Taylor […]
Déjà vu for sublime Sabalenka
THERE was a sense of déjà vu in the air when world number two Aryna Sabalenka completely dismantled quarter final opponent Qinwen Zheng at the US Open overnight. The second seed won 6-1 6-2 to reach the semi-finals only 12 months after sending Zheng – then a surprise quarter finalist – home with another comprehensive […]
