Yannick HANFMANN (GER) plays Andrey RUBLEV (RUS) on John Cain Arena during Day 2 of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Tuesday, February 9, 2021. MANDATORY PHOTO CREDIT Tennis Australia/ ROB PREZIOSO
Stefanos Tsitsipas heads to Wimbledon with a 1-3 record on the grass after losing his opening match in Mallorca 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to German outsider Yannick Hanfmann on Wednesday.
The Greek who tasted his only grass success last week with a first-round Halle win which required two tiebreak sets, handed Hanfmann the biggest win of his career.
“A lot of things have to work to beat a Top 10 player,” the winner said after taming the ATP No. 5.
“I think I had a really good start. Maybe Stefanos was a little bit rusty in the conditions.
“With the wind and the grass it was not that easy, so maybe having a match already on the first day was really important.
“I served really well in all three sets. Just that one service game with two double faults, but overall I’m really happy with my performance.”
Hanfmann improved to 16-9 on the season.
He next faces retiring home hero Feliciano Lopez, who is determined to excel in what he says is his final ATP tournament at age 41.
Lopez reached the last eight 7-6(6), 1-6, 6-3 oer Australian Jordan Thompson; The Spaniard is the oldest ATP quarter-finalist since Jimmy Connors in Halle aged 42 in 1995.
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