Stefanos Tsitsipas produced a dramatic turnaround at the US Open, overcoming a slow start against France’s Alexandre Muller to seal a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1, 7-6(5) victory and book his place in the second round.
The Greek star looked unsettled in the opening set, surrendering a crucial break in the seventh game and allowing Muller to strike first. But what followed was some of Tsitsipas’ most commanding tennis in recent memory.
Tsitsipas stormed through the second set 6-0, breaking Muller three times in succession and establishing complete control of the match. He carried the momentum into the third, producing a serving masterclass that saw him win 14 consecutive points on serve before wrapping the set 6-1.
The fourth set, however, brought fresh tension. Tsitsipas went ahead 3-1 and had six chances for a double break, but Muller refused to fold.
The Frenchman clawed back to 4-4, energising the crowd and pushing the contest into a nail-biting finish. Despite the wobble, Tsitsipas held firm and edged the tiebreak 7-5 to close out the match in just over two hours.
The victory extends Tsitsipas’ perfect record against Muller to 3-0. He will now face either Daniel Altmaier or Hamad Medjedovic in the next round as he chases a place in the US Open’s third round for the first time since 2021.
For Tsitsipas, who “went wild” after dropping the first set, the performance was both a test of resilience and a showcase of his ability to switch gears when it mattered most.
