Tsitsipas the Great: Historic qualification to the final of the Australian Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian Open final, swept Katsanov 3-1 and is preparing for the biggest challenge of his career!

Stefanos Tsitsipas (No.4) with a sensational performance defeated Karen Katsanov (No.20) 3-1 and qualified for the first time (after three failed attempts) to the final of the Australian Open! For the second time in his career he is in a Grand Slam final!

6/6 against the Russian and “Steph” now turns his gaze to the final on Sunday (29/1), where he will face either Novak Djokovic (No.5) or Tommy Paul (No.35) .

Tsitsipas has fought the Serbian legend in the Roland Garros final in 2021, where he was defeated. Whichever of the two (Djokovic or Tsitsipas) wins the Australian Open, then he will rise to No.1 in world ranking. However, if Paul pulls off the surprise and takes it, then the Spaniard Alcarath will remain at the top of the ATP!

Tsitsipas also became the youngest men’s tennis player since 2006 to reach three consecutive Australian Open semifinals. The “king” Roger Federer was the first to do it, in the three years 2004 – 2006, at the age of 24. Since then, no one under the age of 25 has been able to achieve this, with the Greek champion breaking that record.

The match

The two tennis players went neck to neck until the 6th game. Tsitsipas held his serve and took a 4-3 lead, then “broke” his opponent and took a 5-3 lead. And while serving for 1-0, he started with two “double faults” and gave Katsanov the opportunity to “respond” to the breaks and re-enter the match (4-5).

Although he seemed to lose his concentration a little, the 24-year-old champion managed to show his class in the tiebreak, he lost only 2 points and with 7-6 (2) took the first set and led (1-0). And as many times in the past Tsitsipas had managed to get ahead in the end he celebrated.

In the 26 (including today) matches he has played on the main draw of the Australian Open during his career, Tsitsipas has never lost after winning the first set. In total, he has won it 15 times in the tournament and now counts 15 out of 15 victories. On the contrary, when he lost the first set he experienced defeat 5 times!

For 8 games in the second set there was absolute balance. As in the first, Tsitsipas and Katsanov held their serve easily or with difficulty (4-4), with the Greek champion breaking in the 9th and taking a significant lead at 5-4. He served for 2-0 and this time he didn’t give the Russian any room to “answer” and with 6-4 he laid the foundations for the qualification to the final.

With high spirits, Tsitsipas from the beginning of the third set and took a 3-1 lead, looking ready to comfortably reach 3-0. And while he had the serve for the win, Katsanov reacted and equalized at 5-5 proving more thrills.

The Russian “got the upper hand” and led 6-5, Tsitsipas equalized and everything was decided in the tie break. There, where the 24-year-old tennis player led 6-4 and had two chances to close the match, however, Katsanov managed to turn things around and with 8-6 reduce to 2-1 and re-entered the competition.

And while Katsanov had the momentum in the game, Tsitsipas entered the 4th set determined. With a quick break and after holding his serve, he took a 3-0 lead, keeping the situation in his hands. And this time he proved to be completely consistent and with 6-3 he reached 3-1 and was adored by the audience at Rod Laver Arena.