Tsitsipas Slows Down Old-School Cressy To Advance At US Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas had only won one US Open match entering this year’s event. But the fourth seed has looked impressive en route to the third round at Flushing Meadows.

The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion eliminated wild card Maxime Cressy 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the fifth time.

It was a fun match-up inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Cressy, an old-school player, is one of the rare serve and volleyers on the circuit. The former UCLA Bruin consistently hit second serves quicker than 120 miles per hour, forcing Tsitsipas to be sharp. Cressy showed great hands at the net, sticking his volleys well in the early going. The American held a set point on the fourth seed's serve at 5-4 in the opening set, but Tsitsipas wiped out the chance with a big body serve.

But a sloppy tie-break in the first set proved pivotal for Cressy’s chances. Once Tsitsipas took the opener, he loosened up with his groundstrokes and started to find more holes with his passing shots, advancing after two hours and 23 minutes.

This was World No. 168 Cressy's first tour-level event. Tsitsipas has played a lot of big servers since the ATP Tour returned at the Western & Southern Open. At that event he defeated 6'8 Kevin Anderson, 6'10 John Isner and 6'11 Reilly Opelka before losing against 6'5 Milos Raonic in the semi-finals. The Greek has won all six of his sets in this US Open.

Tsitsipas will face a totally different stylistic match in the next round against 27th seed Borna Coric. The Croatian rallied to oust Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 after four hours and 19 minutes.

Coric, who watched the end of Tsitsipas’ win from his private suite inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, made the fourth round of the US Open in 2018.

The winner of their match will not have to play a seeded opponent in the Round of 16. Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin upset 13th seed Cristian Garin 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 7-5 after three hours and 59 minutes.

Garin rallied from two sets down in his first-round match against Ulises Blanch, but the four-time ATP Tour champion was unable to come all the way back again. Kukushkin will play Aussie Jordan Thompson, who beat Berlarusian Egor Gerasimov 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/3lGXiP0