Tsitsipas exits US Open early after 5-set loss to No. 128-ranked Stricker

No. 128-ranked Dominic Stricker upset seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday, eliminating the Greek favorite with a 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-3 victory in just over four hours of play.

Tsitsipas is the second player seeded in the top 10 of the men's draw to exit the tournament after No. 4 Holger Rune lost in the first round to Roberto Carballes Baena.

Tsitsipas was serving for the match toward the end of the fourth set when Stricker rallied and forced a tiebreaker he eventually won.

"I was down 3-5, and then I came back in the fourth set," the 21-year-old said. "I don't know how, but I did it somehow, and then I kept playing very high-level tennis. I am a bit speechless but it is a great day."

Stricker had never beaten anyone inside the top 10 before taking down Tsitsipas, a recent finalist at the Australian Open and French Open.

Stricker saved his best tennis for the fifth set, winning 19 of 23 first-serve points.

Tsitsipas has failed to reach the second week of the US Open in each of his last six showings. He suffered a shocking first-round loss to Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan, then ranked No. 94 in the world, at last year's tournament.