(Melbourne) Stefanos Tsitsipas, 4e world, ended up beating Jannik Sinner (16e) 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 in the clash of 8are final of the Australian Open, Sunday in Melbourne, and will play in the quarter-finals against the unexpected Czech Jiri Lehecka (71e).

“It was long… I feel like I’ve spent a century on the court. But what an evening! “Launched the 24-year-old Greek.

“I really gave my best, but I faced a very strong opponent who played incredible tennis in the third and fourth sets,” he said.

“I tried to stay calm as Mr. Rod Laver did in his time,” he added to the address of the Australian tennis legend, present in the stands.

“My face is burning after this effort, I think I’m going to throw myself in the Yarra to pass this”, he joked in reference to the river which crosses Melbourne and on the edge of which the Melbourne Park complex.

Like last year, Tsitsipas therefore ended the Italian’s journey in Melbourne, this time a round earlier. But unlike last year when he won in three one-way sets, this year he had to work for 4 hours and provide great tennis.

PHOTO MARK BAKER, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jannik Sinner at the end of the match

The match was spectacular and hooked with a total of 48 winners for Tsitsipas and 54 for Sinner.

In the first two sets, Sinner lacked efficiency at key moments, unlike Tsitsipas. In these two sets, the Greek converted the four break points he got when Sinner only converted two out of eight.

But the Italian held his face-off in the next two sets by saving the only break point conceded, and managed to take the opposing service once per set (on 18 break points anyway!) to force Tsitsipas to play a decisive innings.

There, Sinner first saved three break points at 2-1 to equalize at 2-2 by scoring five points in a row with authority and courage. On his next serve, he again conceded three break points.

This time, the Greek put a lot of pressure on him and managed to break to lead 4-2 before confirming on his own face-off.

And on his next service game he offered himself two match points: from the first he took possession of the court and concluded the meeting with a 17e and final forehand winner.

Tsitsipas has reached the semi-finals of the Australian Major three times (2019, 2021, 2022). But it was at Roland-Garros that he played his only Grand Slam final to date, in 2021, when he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.