For the second time in three days at the ATP Finals, Rafael Nadal fought off one of the game's rising powers but beating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas proved in vain as his semi-final hopes vanished on Friday.
The 20-year-old, who reached the Australian Open last four and won titles on clay and indoor hard courts this year, has had a difficult time of it on grass.
The 20-year-old became the youngest semi-finalist at Melbourne Park since American Andy Roddick, also 20, at the 2003 tournament.
Tsitsipas was left searching for answers to explain the pounding at the hands of Nadal
However, the 33-year-old Spaniard will not know until later on Friday whether his Herculean effort was in vain.
Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas slayed another tennis giant on Saturday, saving a match point as he toppled big-serving Kevin Anderson 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(7) in a thriller to set up a Rogers Cup final against top seed Rafael Nadal.
Croatian Borna Coric saved six match points as he rallied from 5-1 down in the fourth set to stun Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7(2), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) and send the fourth seed tumbling out of the US Open in the third round on Friday.
But for the first time, that golden trio will be having an anxious glance over their shoulders. The past week in London has revealed a new fearlessness in the generation of 20 somethings expected to fill the void when they call it a day.
After his Russian opponent broke to lead 4-3 in the final set, Tsitsipas, who had already received a coaching warning and time violation, did not take kindly to being told to speed things up by French chair umpire Damien Dumusois.
The Dutchman collapsed on the court after converting his sixth match-point to end an absorbing three hour, seven minute affair under sunny skies on Stadium One court.
Australian Nick Kyrgios blasted 15 aces to blow past Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2, 7-5 on Thursday and reach the quarter-finals at the Citi Open in Washington.
Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas battled back from a set down to beat Serbia's Filip Krajinovic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoor championship on Friday. The win took Tsitsipas into his 10th semi-final of the season where he will face top seed Roger Federer, who was handed a walkover after Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka withdrew before their quarter-final with a back issue.
Roger Federer cruised to a 6-4, 6-4 win over Peter Gojowczyk in his first appearance since losing in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Tsitsipas regained his composure to save a set point in the 10th game before sealing the victory in the tiebreak for his third career title.
Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled off one of the biggest wins of his short but remarkable career by beating Rafael Nadal 6-4 2-6 6-3 on Spanish soil on Saturday to book his place in the Madrid Open final against world number one Novak Djokovic.
Images from Day 10 of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Djokovic's challenger will be a 22-year-old who is bidding to become the first Greek to win a singles major.
Apostolos immediately got up from his chair in shock and went up to the stands to sit with the rest of the Greek team while Tsitsipas, who was docked a point and warned by the umpire, received an earful from his mother Julia Apostoli.
Images from Day 13 of the French Open, at Roland Garros, in Paris.
The first meeting between Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas lived up to the hype on Saturday as the Australian saved a match point in a wildly entertaining 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7) win to reach the Citi Open final.
Images from Day 8 of the 2021 French Open at Roland Garros in Paris on Sunday
The hosts had blanked Germany in their opening tie and became the first to seal a quarter-final spot with their second 3-0 win in the inaugural team event.
Daniil Medvedev will play Rafael Nadal for the Australian Open title on Sunday after a stirring victory over Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-final on Friday.
World number one Rafael Nadal made light work of Greek teenager Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Barcelona Open final 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday, lifting the trophy for a record-extending 11th time.
Images from the second day at the US Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' YouTube channel is experiencing a surge in subscribers after he reached the Australian Open semi-finals and the Greek youngster will hope to add to his highlight reel when he faces world number two Rafael Nadal on Thursday.
Greek tyro Stefanos Tsitsipas' dream run at the Rogers Cup continued on Friday as the teenager toppled defending champion Alexander Zverev 3-6, 7-6(11), 6-4 to reach the semi-finals in Toronto.
Images from Day 11 of the 2020 French Open at Roland Garros, in Paris, on Wednesday.
'I have sort of a history with the towel. I used to have a towel when I was three, four years old and I would always carry it around. It was like my toy, basically. The towel resembles something special in my life.'
Zverev and Rublev among dark horses for French Open
IMAGES from the French Open quarter-finals played in Paris on Tuesday.
Images from Day 8 of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday.
The unpredictable nature of the 2024 US Open has turned it into one of the most thrilling Grand Slam tournaments in recent memory.
Top seed Alexander Zverev crashed out in the second round of the Stuttgart Open, losing to world number 170 Dustin Brown.
Images from the Olympics tennis action at the Roland Garros, Paris, on Wednesday.
Carlos Alcaraz reveals prize money attracted him to Saudi's Six Kings Slam
Images from Saturday's action at the Australian Open.
Carlos Alcaraz failed to reach the Paris Masters quarter-finals after a thrilling 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 defeat to local favourite Ugo Humbert
Novak Djokovic destroyed a woeful Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-1, 6-2 to book his place in the semi-finals of the Paris Masters.
Novak Djokovic's journey to the podium was fuelled by unwavering determination and the unwavering support of his young daughter, Tara.
