Stefanos Tsitsipas is having yet another fantastic campaign at the Australian Open, where he has just reached his fourth semi-final in the first major of the year. However, the Greek champion risked being defaulted, just like Novak Djokovic at the 2020 US Open. After losing a point, Stefanos hit a ball in rage close to a ballboy. If the ball had hit the kid, Tsitsipas would have defaulted automatically.
Here is the video.
Whoa… 😬 Stefanos Tsitsipas came THIS close to hitting a ball kid out of frustration in an incident eerily reminiscent of Novak Djokovic's controversial US Open default. 😳
🖥️ #AusOpen LIVE | https://t.co/80XjQpwd6J#9WWOS #Tennis pic.twitter.com/yxmOy1xacs
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) January 24, 2023
Tsitsipas at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2023
Ranked no.4, Stefanos has managed to achieve a 9-0 record in 2023. Tsitsipas is now competing at the Australian Open where he defeated the world no.61 Quentin Halys 6-3 6-4 7-66, the world no.169 Rinky Hijikata 6-3 6-0 6-2, the world no.63 Tallon Griekspoor 6-2 7-65 6-3, the world no.16 Jannik Sinner 6-4 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 and the world no.71 Jiri Lehecka 6-3 7-62 6-4.
Stefanos Tsitsipas will face the world no.20 Karen Khachanov in the semifinal. The head to head is 5-0 for Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas won 9 titles in his career: 4 on clay courts, 4 on indoor courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Tsitsipas will compete next in Rotterdam (ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament). He will begin to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 13th of February.
Djokovic at the Australian Open, ranking, and results in 2023
Ranked world no.5, Novak has a compiled 9-0 record in 2023. Novak is now competing at the Australian Open where he managed to beat the world no.75 Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3 6-4 6-0, the world no.191 Enzo Couacaud 6-1 6-75 6-2 6-0, the world no.28 Grigor Dimitrov 7-67 6-3 6-4 and the world no.24 Alex De Minaur 6-2 6-1 6-2.
Novak Djokovic will fight against the world no.6 Andrey Rublev in the quarter on Wednesday at 7:30 pm on Rod Laver Arena. Their head to head is 2-1 for Djokovic.
Djokovic clinched 1 title in 2023 in Adelaide.
Novak won 92 titles in his career: 49 on hard courts, 18 on clay courts, 17 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic played each other 12 times. Their head to head is 10-2 for Djokovic. The last time they fought against each other, Novak Djokovic won 6-4 7-6(4) in the round robin in Turin (Nitto ATP Finals) in November 2022.
In the following video you can watch the key moments of their match.