Stefanos Tsitsipas needs at least semifinal run in Cincinnati to be the 4th seed at the US Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas has the opportunity to secure the 4th seed at the upcoming US Open Championships if he advances to the semifinals in Cincinnati.
The Greek tennis player has made a positive start to the hardcourt season, chalking up five wins from six matches and a title-winning run at the Los Cabos Open. He is currently competing at the Western and Southern Open.
With his close rivals Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Jannik Sinner, and Andrey Rublev all experiencing early exits in Cincinnati, Tsitsipas is presented with a strong likelihood to make a deep run in Cincinnati. He could also potentially displace Rune from the No. 4 spot before the US Open.
Tsitsipas began his campaign against talented youngster Ben Shelton at the Masters 1000 event. He outfoxed the American in one hour and 43 minutes in straight sets 7-6(3), 7-6(2).
The 25-year-old is making his fifth appearance in Cincinnati, with an impressive track record of consecutive semifinal berths over the last three years. His notable achievement includes a runner-up finish at the event last year.
While Holger Rune was forced to retire against Mackenzie McDonald (due to a speculated lower back injury), Casper Ruud and Jannik Sinner suffered shock defeats at the hands of Max Purcell and Dusan Lajovic, respectively.
Swedish Open champion Andrey Rublev also went down fighting against Finnish tennis player Emil Ruusuvuori in a close three-set contest.
Tsitsipas showcased his potential on hard courts at the start of the year by reaching the 2023 Australian Open finals. The Greek put up a tough fight against Novak Djokovic but couldn't outfox the 23-time Grand Slam Champion.
He has a healthy 77% success ratio on hard courts this year and will be hoping to play his best tennis until the US Open Championships.
Stefanos Tsitsipas to square off against Hubert Hurkacz in R3 of the Western and Southern Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas will take on Hubert Hurkacz in the third round of the Western and Southern Open on Thursday.
The Greek leads the head-to-head against Hurkacz 7-2 and won their most recent encounter at the 2022 Astana Open in Kazakhstan. He will be hoping to add to his tally and topple the Pole once again in Cincinnati.
While Stefanos Tsitsipas got the better of Ben Shelton in the previous round, Hurkacz secured a stunning comeback win against last year's champion Borna Coric.
He defeated the Croat in two hours and 15 minutes: 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. Hurkacz is also making his fifth appearance at the Cincinnati Masters. His previous best result included a last-16 finish in 2022.
Fans can expect an interesting battle between two high-quality players at the Western and Southern Open. The winner of this tie will take on either Alexei Popyrin or Emil Ruusuvuori in the quarterfinals.