Just a few days after sending consensus GOAT Novak Djokovic to an early demise in CIncinnati, hard-hitting Argentine Thiago Augustin Tirante has reached his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
Keep an eye on this rising talent.
The 25-year-old improved to 7-2 against the Top 20 since April with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over 20-year-old Jakub Mensik on Wednesday, setting a clash with either Arthur Fils or Alex de Minaur in the last eight.
Gifted with jaw-dropping power (Tirante hit a 120 MPH forehand, the fastest recorded in an ATP Masters event this year), against Djokovic, and had his serve clocked at 150 MPH this year in Madrid, and is coming into his own as a foil for top players.
Also of note is Tirante’s exceptional movement. The Argentina is not a one-trick pony.
Today he rallied past Mensik like an experienced veteran, navigating the big moments with poise as he notched his biggest career quarterfinal.
Tirante, from La Plata, is up to a career-high ranking of No.41 in the live rankings with the win.
Not surprisingly, given his style of play, his idol is 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, who happens to be the last player from Argentina to reach the quarterfinals in Cincinnati (2018).
Tirante was ranked 135 when he played qualifying last year at Cincinnati. He made the main draw but lost in the first round. He has now won six of his last seven matches on tour, after reaching the round of 16 at Montreal, where he was defeated by Learner Tien.
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