Australian Open: Machac Outlasts Tsitsipas in Tiebreak Thriller, Rolls to 7th Straight Win for Third-Round Spot
A marquee matchup in Melbourne on Thursday. In the second round of the Australian Open, Tomas Machac faced Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Czech is in top form off a title at the ATP 250 in Adelaide last week. After beating Grigor Dimitrov (6-4, 6-4, 6-3), the world No. 24 took on another big name, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
But the Greek is no longer at the level of a few years ago. The player who hasn't advanced past the second round in a Grand Slam since Roland Garros 2024 hopes to rebuild confidence after a disappointing 2025 season.
The world No. 35 had dominated Shintaro Mochizuki in the first round, but the challenge ramped up on Thursday. Ruthlessly efficient, Machac struck at the right moments to seize control in the match.
Machac Knocks Out Tsitsipas, Joins Musetti in Stacked Section of Draw
The 25-year-old converted all his break points (3/3), while the Greek squandered too many chances (3/11). With the last two sets hinging on fine details, Machac proved the more clutch player to prevail (6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 in 3h08).
The Czech earns his first win over Tsitsipas and a 7th straight victory to reach the third round. For a spot in the round of 16, he will face Lorenzo Musetti, who defeated Lorenzo Sonego earlier in the day.
Machac's section of the draw at this Australian Open is particularly brutal. After Dimitrov and Tsitsipas, he takes on Musetti, world No. 5, before a potential duel with Taylor Fritz.
If he survives that far, he could meet Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals and possibly Jannik Sinner in the semifinals. A true gauntlet.
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