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
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