Stefanos Tsitsipas has done the unthinkable, coming back from two sets down to stun Rafael Nadal and win his way into the Australian Open semi-finals.
Tsitsipas shouldn’t have stood a chance after coughing up a two-set deficit as it looked like Nadal would stroll through and keep his pursuit of a 21st grand slam title alive. But as the Spaniard wilted, Tsitsipas went up through the gears to secure an incredible 3-6 2-6 7-6 6-4 7-5 victory.
"I'm speechless. I have no words to describe what just happened," Tsitsipas said. "It's an unbelievable feeling to be able to fight at such a level and leave my all out on the court.
"Today's performance, I started very nervous, I won't lie. I don't know what happened after the third.
"I fly like a little bird, everything was working for me. The emotions at the very end are indescribable. They're something else."
The tennis world was in awe at the end of the astonishing clash, which lasted just over four hours.
It’s just the second time in the world No. 6's career he’s won after losing the first two sets. It’s also only the second time Nadal has ever lost after going up two-sets-to-love at a grand slam.
Wow
— Thanasi Kokkinakis (@TKokkinakis) February 17, 2021
Stunning display from Tsitsipas. Looked down and out after the first two sets. But comes back to become only the second player *ever* to beat Nadal from a 2-0 deficit at a Slam. Unbelievable. #AusOpen
— Joe Krishnan (@joekrishnan) February 17, 2021
🎾 Wow. How many players have come from 2 sets down versus Nadal in a slam and gone on to win? Incredible performance by Tsitsipas in the #AusOpen quarter final. *salutes*
— Ben Watt (@ben_watt) February 17, 2021
Two years ago Nadal “destroyed” Tsitipas, per the Greek’s own words. Would have been easy to just succumb after falling two sets behind with virtually no resistance, but he didn’t, his attitude was amazing. #AusOpen
— Saša Ozmo (@ozmo_sasa) February 17, 2021
Tsitsipas had no answers as Nadal ran riot to start the match, hitting his trademark forehand winners and delivering rock solid service games. The only thing bothering the Spaniard was the umpire's focus on how much time he was taking between points, the shot clock irritating him more than any of his opponent's shots.
The third set was much closer and Nadal only lost his first point on serve at 5-6. It went to a tiebreak, where the 34-year-old lost the plot with some wild unforced errors.
He mishit an overhead smash that went long and then repeated the dose on a similar point, this time after waiting for the ball to bounce.
A shanked backhand hit the frame of the racquet and ballooned into the air, missing the court by miles as Tsitsipas stayed in the hunt, breaking Nadal’s incredible streak of winning 35 consecutive sets at grand slams – one short of Roger Federer’s record of 36.
Remarkably, Nadal made as many unforced errors in the tiebreak – 5 – as he did in each of the first two sets.
Tsitsipas looked even better in the fourth set, matching it with Nadal in the physicality stakes as he outmuscled the second seed in key moments, breaking late in the set to ensure they would be going the distance.
Both players were clutch on serve in the decider and each looked like they were a chance of winning. But Tsitsipas broke to love for 6-5 when Nadal uncharacteristically committed four unforced errors in a row, then held his nerve and served out the match to advance to the semi-finals.
Tsitsipas will face Russian Daniil Medvedev for a place in the final.
