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

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30: Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece returns a shot against Dominic Stephan Stricker of Switzerland during their Men's Singles Second Round match on Day Two of the 2023 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 30, 2023 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Sarah Stier / Getty Images Sport / Getty

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.

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