Australian Open: Youngsters Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz stun seeds | Tennis News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Australian Open: Youngsters Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz stun seeds

Melbourne | ByAP
Jan 16, 2019 05:45 PM IST

Down a set and 3-0 in the second, the 20-year-old Frances Tiafoe came back to stun two-time Grand Slam finalist and No. 5 seed Kevin Anderson of South Africa 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday

Frances Tiafoe rolled up his white shirt’s right sleeve, flexed his biceps and slapped the muscle five times. Then he pounded his chest and yelled, “Yeah! Let’s go! Let’s go! Come on!”

United States' Frances Tiafoe celebrates after defeating South Africa's Kevin Anderson in their second round match at the Australian Open.(AP)
United States' Frances Tiafoe celebrates after defeating South Africa's Kevin Anderson in their second round match at the Australian Open.(AP)

Forgive the young American’s exuberance. This was, after all, the biggest victory of his nascent career.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Down a set and 3-0 in the second, the 20-year-old Tiafoe came back to stun two-time Grand Slam finalist and No. 5 seed Kevin Anderson of South Africa 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday in the Australian Open’s second round.

“I went to a different place. I dug insanely deep,” the 39th-ranked Tiafoe said. “It’s all about competing. Guys are so good. It’s just about how badly you want it. I want it real bad.”

He was joined in the third round by another kid from the U.S. who’d never been that far at Melbourne Park, 21-year-old Taylor Fritz, who saved 12 of the 13 break points he faced while dispatching No. 30 seed Gael Monfils of France 6-3, 6-7 (8), 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5).

Also read: Struggled a bit with sun and it cost me - Prajnesh Gunneswaran

Next for Fritz is a match-up against Roger Federer, the two-time defending champion in Australia and owner of 20 Grand Slam titles.

“I grew up watching a lot of the guys I play today. I can’t tell you how many times I watched Monfils’ highlight reel on YouTube, just growing up. ‘Fed,’ obviously, my whole life growing up, he was always the best, winning everything,” Fritz said. “So it’s really cool being able to step on the court with him again.”

A day after American men went 1-5, the country’s contingent produced those two upsets and threw a couple of scares into other seeded players, too, but couldn’t pull off the wins.

Mackenzie McDonald pushed No. 6 Marin Cilic before losing 7-5, 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4, and Denis Kudla went to a fifth set before bowing out 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-7 (6), 6-4 against No. 18 Diego Schwartzman. Reilly Opelka, a 21-year-old who eliminated No. 9 John Isner in an all-U.S. showdown in the first round, held a 67-2 ace advantage — and a 15-inch (38-centimeter) height advantage — against Thomas Fabbiano but lost to the Italian 6-7 (15), 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Also read: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and I still Grand Slam favourites - Roger Federer

“This group (of Americans) really deserves the hype, I guess, because I think everyone’s good,” Fritz said.

Cilic was the 2014 U.S. Open champion and the runner-up at Melbourne Park to Federer last year. Against McDonald, an NCAA champion in singles and doubles at UCLA who is 23 years old and ranked 81st, Cilic delivered 25 aces, including on each of the last two points.

“It was a much tougher match than I expected,” Cilic said. “I didn’t know much about him.”

For Tiafoe, it helped that Anderson’s best attribute, his intimidating serve, slowed down along the way because of problems with his right arm. Anderson was repeatedly visited by a trainer during changeovers and he lost about 5 mph (10 kph) on his first serves as the match wore on.

Anderson was the runner-up at Wimbledon last year and at the U.S. Open in 2017 and had won all three previous match-ups against Tiafoe.

Also read: Caroline Wozniacki sets up potential third-round showdown with Maria Sharapova

But Tiafoe ended a six-match losing streak against top-10 opponents and is now into the third round at a major for the second time, equalling his best showing.

“These are the matches where they kind of define you and help you feel more and more comfortable to keep winning matches like that,” Tiafoe said. “So, yeah, I’m definitely going to remember this one.”

As for his postmatch flex, Tiafoe said: “I hope the crowd liked it.”

Defeat Andreas Seppi of Italy next, and Tiafoe would make his debut in the second week of a Grand Slam.

He turns 21 on Monday and said: “If I’m playing on that day and beat somebody, that’s the best present I can get.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On