By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, January 27, 2023
No. 2-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas staved off Cristian Garin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to set up a round of 16 clash vs. Australian Open semifinalist Karen Khachanov.
Photo credit: Getty
MIAMI—Miami will host a compelling Melbourne rematch—and Stefanos Tsitsipas is hoping fans will bring the fire to the sequel.
Tsitsipas took a walkover in his opening round and required a late run to extend his stay at the Miami Open today.
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The second-seeded Tsitsipas staved off former world No. 17 Cristian Garin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to advance to the Miami Open round of 16.
Deadlocked at 4-all in the final set, Tsitsipas caught a break when Garin, who had played dynamic tennis for much of today's opener on Hard Rock Stadium, delivered his sloppiest game of the set. Garin netted a forehand sitter volley from on top of the net, double-faulted away a game point and put a backhand into net to gift wrap the break and a 5-4 lead to Tsitsipas.
The Australian Open finalist exploited that lapse serving out the match firing his 12th ace to seal a hard-fought victory.
"I got a little bit lucky toward the end and captured the break I needed," Tsitsipas to Theld Andrew Krasny afterward. "He played some deep shots, he was being aggressive and I really took it ot the next level when I had to.
"I hope in next few days we can turn this house on fire."
The victory sends 2021 Miami quarterfinalist Tsitsipas into the round of 16 where he will play Karen Khachanov in a rematch of the Australian Open semifinals.
In a match of big hitters, Khachanov saved the only break point he faced sweeping Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 6-4. Khachanov improved to 11-5 on the season, including an 11-0 mark when he wins the first set.
Exhorted by fans waving Greek flags last January, a focused Tsitsipas knocked a gritty Khachanov out 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3 to rise to his first Australian Open final.
The third-ranked Tsitsipas is 6-0 lifetime against Khachanov, who s into his first Miami Open round of 16.