‘Upset of the tournament’: Aslan Karatsev qualifies for quarter-finals in 32-year first
An unknown Russian player has become first male qualifier to progress to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open since 1989.
Aslan Karatsev — remember the name.
The world No. 114 has defeated Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in a five-set marathon on Sunday afternoon to qualify for the Australian Open quarter-finals.
Karatsev lost the opening two sets on Margaret Court Arena, but pulled off a remarkable comeback to secure the unlikely 3-6 1-6 6-3 6-3 6-4 victory over the number 20 seed.
The 27-year-old has become the first male qualifier to make the Australian Open quarter-finals since Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic achieved the rare feat in 1989.
The unseeded Russian is also the first male player to make the quarter-finals in his maiden grand slam tournament since Romania’s Alex Radulescu at Wimbledon in 1996.
Karatsev is also the lowest-ranked male to qualify for the Australian Open quarter-finals since America’s Patrick McEnroe back in 1991.
LIVE BLOG: Australian Open day seven
Aslan Karatsev, a 27-year-old Slam débutant, makes the #AusOpen quarterfinals in his Slam debut, beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in five.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) February 14, 2021
Such clean pure power off both wings, it’s no surprise how much his game can pop when it’s clicking.
First 5 set match, first 5 set win, first quarter finals all the way from qualies.
— Somdev Devvarman (@SomdevD) February 14, 2021
Zero nerves shown. Absolutely zero.
The ice man : Aslan Karatsev
Take a bow tennis world. Take a bow!!
UPSET OF THE TOURNAMENT:
— Shane McInnes (@shanemcinnes) February 14, 2021
Aslan Karatsev d. Felix Auger Aliassime
3-6 1-6 6-3 6-3 6-4
Karatsev becomes just the seventh player in Grand Slam history to reach the quarter finals in maiden Grand Slam event... #AusOpen
“It was really tough in the beginning to play with him,” Karatsev said after the win.
“He’s a really good player, he’s really fast and it took me two sets to find how to play.”
Karatsev will come up against either Dominic Thiem or Grigor Dimitrov in Tuesday’s quarter-final. He is three sets away from becoming the first male in history to qualify for the semi-finals in his grand slam debut.
“I’ll be ready for everyone,” Karatsev said with a smile.
Karatsev was ranked 263rd when the ATP tour was halted in March last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he has provisionally risen to 63rd after Sunday’s victory.
Before the Australian Open commenced, Karatsev had won $618,354 in prize money over nine years of professional tennis. He has already made $400,000 in this grand slam tournament, and could pocket more if this miracle run continues.
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ASLAN KARATSEV’S AUSTRALIAN OPEN CAMPAIGN
Qualifiers Round 1 — defeated Brandon Nakashima 6-2 6-7(4) 6-2
Qualifiers Round 2 — defeated Max Purcell 6-1 6-2
Qualifiers Round 3 — defeated Alexandre Muller 6-2 6-1
Round 1 — defeated Gianluca Mager 6-3 6-3 6-4
Round 2 — defeated Egor Gerasimov 6-0 6-1 6-0
Round 3 — defeated [8] Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-3 6-3
Round 4 — defeated[20] Felix Auger-Aliassime 3-6 1-6 6-3 6-3 6-4
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