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By Chris Oddo | Wednesdsay January 16, 2019

 
Frances Tiafoe

American Frances Tiafoe took down South Africa's Kevin Anderson and notched the biggest upset of week one at the Australian Open.

Photo Source: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Frances Tiafoe has taken another big step in his development and reached the third round at the Australian Open for the very first time. The 20-year-old American knocked off two-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 7-5 on Wednesday at Melbourne, notching his biggest career win by ranking and setting up a round of 32 clash with Italy’s Andreas Seppi.

"It means the world to me," said Tiafoe after the match. "I lost to Kevin three times last year, and down a set and a break and it looked like he was going to get it for a fourth time."

Tiafoe showed maturity, intellect and resilience against the hard-hitting South African in the pair’s fourth career matchup (Anderson entered 3-0), and rallied back from a set and break down to take control of a tense encounter.





Tiafoe did not surrender a break in sets three and four. The American converted his second break point of the third game of the third set and never looked back, taking it 6-4.

In the fourth set the pair stayed on serve until Tiafoe engineered a break that was aided by an Anderson double-fault for 6-5. The American then held from 15-40 to close the contest in two hours and 59 minutes.


Tiafoe, who turns 21 on January 21, finished with 47 winners against 27 unforced errors and he converted 4 of 14 break points against Anderson.

"It's all about competing," said Tiafoe. "Guys are so good, It's just how bad you really want it and I want it real bad."

More to follow…

 

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