US Open drama: Tsitsipas calls out opponent after second-round defeat - VIDEO
Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas erupted at his opponent Daniel Altmaier for using an underarm serve during a heated second-round clash at the US Open on Thursday. The five-set match saw the 27-year-old Tsitsipas fall to the 26-year-old German, 7-6, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Following the match, Tsitsipas confronted Altmaier about the tactic, telling him: “Next time, no underarm serve, okay?” Altmaier, ranked world number 56, responded to Sky Sports, saying, “Tomorrow Stefanos will regret his words… A lot of money and self-confidence are at stake. When you’re playing tennis until midnight, you can sometimes say something you don’t really mean,” , News.Az reports, citing foreign media
The match was further complicated when Tsitsipas’ coaching team received a warning for giving instructions during the game. His father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, was seen coaching from the stands, marking the first warning issued under the ITF’s Rule 30, which allows brief, discreet coaching only during breaks.
Altmaier described the match as a personal test, saying, “It was more of a battle against myself. I always tried to keep believing in myself… My dream is to win Grand Slam tournaments. I have to stay calm and perform at my best for two weeks.”
The German’s victory sets up a third-round encounter with Australia’s Alex De Minaur on Saturday.
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