Roger Federer has just been eliminated from the Australian Open by 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas on Rod Laver Arena.
This is the second time in 16 years that Federer will fail to reach the last eight in Melbourne.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who was not born when Federer made his professional tennis debut, has rapidly established himself as one of the most exciting up-and-coming talents in the game and backed it up spectacularly with a 6-7 (11) 7-6 (3) 7-5 7-6 (5) victory to move through to a first grand slam quarter-final.
Happiest man on earth Tsitsipas
Tsitsipas, 20, saved all 12 of 37-year-old Federer’s break points on his way to a famous win.
“I’m the happiest man on earth right now, I can’t describe it,” he said.
Tsitsipas said: “Roger is a legend of the sport, (I have) so much respect for him. He showed such good tennis over the years. I’ve been idolising him since the age of six. It was a dream come true just being on Rod Laver facing him. Winning at the end, I cannot describe it.”
“I’m the happiest man on earth right now.”@StefTsitsipas #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/yakpYsfQAX
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 20, 2019
Federer declining
Federer had lost his last two Grand Slam matches after dropping sets for the first time in the tournament – against Kevin Anderson at Wimbledon and John Millman at the US Open – and he suffered the same fate again.
“I lost to a better player who played very well. He stayed calm and hung in there, which is not easy for younger guys so credit to him,” Federer added.