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Tag Frances Tiafoe

Sport

Birthday boy Tiafoe topples Dimitrov to reach Australian Open quarters

Tiafoe

Melbourne (Australia), Jan. 20, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) American Frances Tiafoe celebrated his 21st birthday by stunning Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 7-6(6) 6-7(1) 7-5 in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday.

Tiafoe, the last American man standing at Melbourne Park, fended off four early break points in a sluggish start before taking opportunities on Dimitrov’s serve to claim the opening set.

Former Melbourne semi-finalist Dimitrov had three sets points to draw level, but Tiafoe refused to wilt under the pressure and reeled off five straight points to move two sets ahead.
Dimitrov, who slipped just outside the top 20 in the world after early exits in his last three Grand Slams appearances, dug deep to fight his way back, claiming the third set in another tiebreak.

But Tiafoe was back on top in the fourth set, clinching a decisive break in the 11th game before serving out to seal a quarter-final against either Rafa Nadal or Tomas Berdych. (Reuters/NAN)

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Sport

Fifth seed Anderson knocked out of Australian Open in four sets

Anderson

Melbourne (Australia), Jan. 16, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Australian Open fifth seed Kevin Anderson lost his second round match to Frances Tiafoe 4-6 6-4 6-4 7-5 in a major upset on the third day of the Grand Slam on Wednesday.

The Wimbledon finalist took a medical time-out mid-way through the four-set match before becoming the highest ranked player to be ousted from the first major of the year.

After sealing match point against the South African, Tiafoe slapped his right bicep, thumped his chest and roared at the terraces.

“It means the world to me, I lost to Kevin three times in 2018.

“I would love to get to the second week of a Slam and if you guys get behind me like you did again, then its going to be pretty easy for me,” Tiafoe said.

American Tiafoe, ranked 39 in the world, will play Italy’s Andreas Seppi in the third round.

The feat will at least equal his best performance at a Grand Slam, having made the third round of Wimbledon in 2018. (Reuters/NAN)

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama