Argentine fights back to make Tsitsipas unravel (2024)

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Argentina complete clean sweep over Greece, Chile down Serbia

Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni have completed a terrific day for Argentina at the ATP Cup with a tiebreak doubles victory over Greece in Sydney.

Gonzalez and Molteni triumphed 6-3, 4-6 (11-9) over Markos Kalovelonis and Petros Tsitsipas to complete a 3-0 clean sweep and stay top of Group D ahead of Poland.

Meanwhile, Chile kept their title hopes alive with a 2-1 tie victory over Serbia.

Alejandro Tabilo and Tomas Barrios prevailed 6-4, 3-6 (10-7) over Nikola Cacic and Matej Sabanov after the singles ties were split.

Argentine ace outlasts fading Tsitsipas, sledges Courier

Argentine ace Diego Schwartzman has upset world No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas to claim the tie against Greece and keep his nation top of Group D in Sydney.

The consistent baseliner just got better and better as the night wore on while Tsitsipas, perhaps predictably in his first match back since elbow surgery.

"If the match was long I had a chance," world No.13 Schwartzman told Jim Courier on Nine and Stan Sport following the 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 triumph.

"I'm very happy, a set down against Stefanos is not easy."

It was only Schwartzman's 11th career victory over a top 10 player and he was genuinely delighted with the scalp, even enjoying a cheeky sledge at Courier's courtside gig.

"Next time I want to be like you - sitting, drinking Coca-Cola!"

"I have to be ready to run, it's my game. Since I've been young I try to get the ball in and run. Three hours, you see, it's normal for me."

Meanwhile, Tsitsipas raised concerns about his availability for the Australian Open after tonight's up and down loss.

"I'm in a little bit of pain. That's normal. I served more serves than I have ever served in the last month," Tsitsipas said.

"I have been practising, trying to get 50, 60 serves in, and today I really went far. I was fatiguing in the end. I tried to avoid the pain but I got to finish the match somehow.

"I'd love to play [my next ATP Cup match], but I really don't know how I'm going to feel tomorrow. That was one of the biggest concerns if I'm going to play this match today, how is the recovery going to be tomorrow, which was the issue with the doubles. I finished the doubles but the next day I couldn't serve. I was unable. I was in a lot of pain.

"So I'm really hoping to be able to walk on court tomorrow and practise some serves without pain. That's my biggest goal right now, to have 100 per cent recovery on my elbow."

Chile stay alive after bad cramping cruels Serb

Cristian Garin has kept Chile alive in their ATP Cup tie against Serbia after beating Dusan Lajovic in a walkover in Sydney tonight.

After dropping the first set 4-6, Garin took control with a 6-4 reverse in the second and was up 3-0 in the third before cramps in the heat ended Lajovic's challenge.

"I feel sorry for him, we played an amazing match," Garin said on Nine and Stan Sport.

"A lot of running, it was really tough. In the tough moments the Chileans in the crowd helped me a lot. It's so nice to play in front of crowds again. Gracias."

The tie will now be decided by the doubles clash later tonight.

Aussie wildcard beats Kvitova in huge upset

Australian wildcard Priscilla Hon has claimed the biggest win of her career by stunning two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 at the Adelaide International tonight.

Ranked 263 in the world to Kvitova's 17, Hon staved off some late nerves to hold serve and spark jubilant celebrations.

"It doesn't feel real right now," Hon said on Stan Sport.

"So happy, I can't explain how much. I've been waiting for this moment."

Hon was sidelined for five months last year after suffering a hip injury, making tonight's boilover all the more remarkable.

She said the 2h 19m triumph was a product of a changed mindset.

"Pretty proud of how I held up at the end," Hon said.

"Top players don't give it to you so you've got to work hard for it.

"My mindset was very different this time."

'Stylish' Schwartzman puts Argentina on the brink

Argentina's Diego Schwartzman has fought back from an early service break to claim the second set 6-3 in his ATP Cup clash with Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas.

If Schwartzman can claim the third set and the match then Argentina will win the tie and remain top of Group D.

The consistent world No.13 hit the mark on 74 per cent of his first serves while Tsitsipas could only muster 52 per cent after an impressive 7-6 first set win.

"A little bit like an EKG... it's up, it's down, it's all over the place," Jim Courier said of Tsitsipas' play in Sydney so far.

"That's what we love about sport. It's unscripted and there's passion when you're playing for your nation's colours."

Sam Smith said Schwartzman was providing some "special moments."

"Finding a way back into this contest and doing it in style."

'Sizzling' Tsitsipas claims thrilling first set

The quality of the tennis was as hot as the clammy Sydney weather as Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas laid down an early Australian Open marker at the ATP Cup.

The world No.4 hit 18 brilliant winners to claim a thrilling tie break 7-5 in the first set of his clash with Argentina's Diego Schwartzman.

Schwartzman, the expert returner and world No.13, pushed Tsitsipas to the brink but couldn't quite find a way to quell some exciting attacking tennis.

"A sizzling 63 minutes," Sam Smith said in commentary for Nine and Stan Sport.

"What is it about the ATP Cup that just seems to produce this tennis, year in and year out? It's fabulous. In a way it's a shame to look at the numbers.

"It has been a blockbuster so far."

Argentina are 1-0 up in the tie after Federico Delbonis downed Michail Pervolarakis earlier in the evening.

Testy exchange in Greek camp as ball toss goes awry

Team Greece coach Apostolos Tsitsipas and No.2 singles player Michail Pervolarakis engaged in a testy mid-match exchange tonight as Pervolarakis endured painful service problems with his ball toss.

Trailing Argentina's Federico Delbonis 7-6, 3-0 in the ATP Cup in Sydney, Pervolarakis was bombarded with advice from Tsitsipas - the father of Greece No.1 Stefanos.

"Don't rush. Why are you rushing the first ball?" Tsitsipas asked a clearly annoyed Pervolarakis.

"This is way too much information... has to be simple," Pervolarakis replied.

Tsitsipas didn't listen as he kept gesticulating and bombarding the world No.399 with his thoughts.

Pervolarakis appeared to be tuning out the animated coach but the pair did slap hands before returning to the court.

"You can see with a player if they do get an overload of information that it becomes a bit confusing," John Fitzgerald said in commentary for Nine and Stan Sport.

"Especially if you've lost the first set. If you've won it you can accept it a little more."

The tennis court is a very lonely place when the simple art of a ball toss goes awry.

"He was just talking about how he was thinking so much about his ball toss, too far left, too far forward - that's not an easy place to be when you're thinking about a ball toss," Mark Petchey said in commentary.

"No because you're thinking about structurally trying to put a point together and win it," Fitzgerald replied.

"And you're reacting to the other player's moves as well, where he hits the ball."

Pervolarakis did at least win the next game before falling 7-6 6-1 in the opening match in the tie.

Tomljanović downs Brit in seesawing match

Australia's Ajla Tomljanović has emerged victorious at the Adelaide International after a tough workout from Great Britain's Heather Watson.

In front of a small but enthusiastic crowd, Tomljanović was pushed to a second set tie break as Watson upped her game but the 28-year-old rallied for a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) straight sets win in the first round clash.

Key to Tomljanović's 1h 54m win was capitalising on three of her five break point opportunities and a superior first serve.

Australian attention in Adelaide now turns to the match between Priscilla Hon against veteran Czech star Petra Kvitova, the two-time Wimbledon champion.

Aussie Ajla looking strong in Adelaide

Australia's Ajla Tomljanović has made a nice start to her Adelaide International women's singles first round match, claiming the first set 6-4 over Great Britain's Heather Watson.

Tomljanović, 28 and the world's 45th ranked player, took 44 minutes to get the better of Watson, ranked 72nd.

Meanwhile. Greece and Argentina, and Serbia and Chile, are squaring off at the ATP Cup in steamy Sydney.

The feature match of the night is Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas (world No.4) versus Argentina's Diego Schwartzman (world No.13).

That clash won't start until 7pm AEDT at the earliest.