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Although he led 5-1 in the fourth set, Stefano Tsitsipas gave up the match after six match points against Croatian Borna Coric. Alexander Zverev’s game was postponed several times before the governor of New York uttered a word of power.
For Stefanos Tsitsipas, the US Tennis Open ended on Friday before the round of 16. The Greek was defeated by Croatian Borna Coric in a true third-round thriller on the field of Flushing Meadows after six match points and a playing time of four and a half hours with 7: 6 (2), 4: 6.6: 4.5: 7.6. : 7 (4).
Coric was apparently hopelessly behind in the fourth set at 1: 5, but managed to turn things around after two restarts. He recovered a break in the fifth set and used his second match point at the end. “I have to be honest and say I was very lucky,” said Coric, who was seeded number 27.
Tsitsipas was the dominant player until the clear lead in the fourth set, but then hit a losing streak. “This is possibly the saddest and funniest thing that has ever happened to me in my career,” the 22-year-old 2019 ATP Finals winner said via Twitter. Instead of number six in the world, Coric now faces Australian Jordan Thompson. The Croatian is fighting for his first Grand Slam quarter-final appearance.
Djokovic continues with confidence
The regular guest is Serbian Novak Djokovic, who gave German Jan-Lennard Struff no chance in the 6: 3.6: 3.6: 1 hit and remains undefeated in 2020. “It was a very, very good performance. from me, “said the world leader, satisfied after the 600th victory of his hard court career. It was the next step on the road to his fourth US Open title and his 18th Grand Slam triumph. The omens are good, with Croatian Marin Cilic (winner of the US Open 2014) only one winner of the Grand Slam tournament is represented in the competition. One of Djokovic’s biggest rivals is ÖTV star Dominic Thiem, who meets Cilic on Sunday night (01:00 am CEST / Live Servus TV).
In the round of 16, Djokovic will face Spanish Pablo Carreño Busta, who is ranked 20. The Serbian was not only challenged on Friday on the field. A day before the duel between the German Alexander Zverev and the Frenchman Adrian Mannarino threatened with the cancellation of the first game related to the crown, Djokovic called the governor of New York. “I tried to reach people in the highest positions,” Djokovic said.
Because Mannarino had contact with Benoit Paire, who tested positive for the coronavirus days ago, authorities initially banned Mannarino from appearing. “We have been informed that there is very little chance that we will play,” Zverev said. “The situation was not easy for us, but we are professionals and we have to face it.”
Wild speculation
What exactly had happened and why Zverev and Mannarino did not enter the Louis Armstrong Stadium at the agreed time remained unclear for a long time and was the subject of many wild speculation. The American Tennis Association (USTA) reacted late and then with a dry message. The truth is that Mannarino, like other French and Belgian professionals, had a closer contact with Paire. The 31-year-old Frenchman tested positive for Covid-19 and was excluded before the tournament started.
The test result had far-reaching consequences for the contact persons. A group of up to eleven players had to go into an extra quarantine within the so-called bubble and sign and undergo stricter protocols. This included daily tests and isolation in his own hotel room. Even when players like France’s Kristina Mladenovic complained about a “nightmare” and “horrible things,” the professionals – unlike a week ago at the Masters tournament that moved from Cincinnati to New York – were not immediately excluded.
Word of Power from the Governor of New York
The rules had been changed, explained tournament director Stacey Allaster, noting that everything had been agreed with the New York state health authorities. On Friday, however, political authorities suddenly said that Mannarino had to be excluded as one of Pairs’ contacts, after he had already played the first two rounds. The start of the game was rescheduled twice and discarded twice, each time with Zverev’s consent.
After intense debate and seemingly a powerful word from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mannarino was allowed to play the game several hours late. Zverev was not swayed by the uncertainty and won after starting in trouble with 6: 7 (4), 6: 4.6: 2.6: 2. Now he’s waiting with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Dennis Novak’s first-round conqueror.
(APA / dpa / Reuters)
