US OPEN – Men’s singles – Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz fall from entry to New York!

No miracle for Tsitsipas

Loss against Daniel Galan, 6-0, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5

The US Open is the only Grand Slam tournament where Stefanos Tsitsipas hasn’t reached week two yet. It won’t be for this year. He won’t even see the second round. The Greek, seeded number 4, sank as soon as he entered the tournament on the Louis-Armstrong court. Another major disappointment for him. Since his final at Roland-Garros in June 2021, he has only once exceeded the milestone of the round of 16.

While the eyes of the whole world were glued to the Arthur-Ashe and Serena Williams court, Stefanos Tsitsipas was completely lost a few meters away. You had to rub your eyes to believe it but, yes, after less than an hour of play, he was trailing 6-0, 6-1 by Daniel Galan, who had even won the first eleven games of the match. We wondered what was wrong with the Greek, who did not seem to be diminished in his strikes. But he called on the physio twice in the second set to have his right arm and shoulder on the same side manipulated.

Completely out of his tennis (he finished with 57 unforced errors in 34 games…), Tsitsipas only had his combativeness for him. She allowed him to get back into the game and we even thought she was going to carry him to an incredible save. By breaking at the start of the third set, the world number 5 revived then, once this set was in his pocket, it was he who again took the first serve from his opponent in the fourth act. It all started to feel good in the fifth set. But no.

Daniel Galan, whose fluidity of play and hard-hitting side has almost never been denied, unbroken then took control to lead 5-4. The end of the match then turned out to be completely crazy. A grueling war of nerves. Tsitsipas first saved five match points at 4-5 before coming out on top, then three more at 5-6. In the meantime, it was he who had obtained a break opportunity at 5-5. Finally, the ninth was good for the Colombian, who knew how to remain in control of his emotions. At 26, this is by far the best victory for this player who reached the Top 100 for the first time six weeks ago…

Fritz also falls from above

Lost to Brandon Holt, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4

It’s the other big fish that was trapped last night. Close to the second, Taylor Fritz gave up almost at the same time as Stefanos Tsitsipas, against one of his compatriots, Brandon Holt. But if an American emerged victorious, it is still a blow for US tennis, which thought that Fritz had its best chance in the men’s tournament. But the winner of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 tripped over the carpet at the Grandstand.

However, by pocketing the first set in the decisive game, one could believe that the hardest part was done for the number 10 seed. But the second set was also played in the tie-break and, this time, Brandon Holt l flew over (7 points to 1). From there, Taylor Fritz totally lost control of the proceedings to give up the next two sets, 6-3 and 6-4.

What a feeling and what an adventure for Holt, a pure university product, 303rd in the world, from the qualifications (for which he had obtained a wild card) and who played this Monday at 24 the very first match of his career on the main circuit. His mother, who is none other than Tracy Austin, was able to jubilate and savor the moment in the stands. Former world number one and double winner of the US Open, she can be proud of the son.