Stefanos Tsistipas has avoided a nasty case of deja vu to level Greece’s United Cup city final tie with Croatia 1-1 in Perth.
The favourite was in complete control before Borna Coric launched a brave fightback, saving two match points in the second set and five in total before finally falling 6-0 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 in Perth on Wednesday.
Coric saved six match points and went on to beat Tsitsipas at the 2020 US Open and looked on track for a repeat when he twice had breaks in the deciding set.
Tsitsipas, mistake-free in the first set, cast aside the disappointment of three more missed match points at 6-5 to finally take the crucial point for Greece.
“I just didn’t want to lose,” he said.
“I said to myself, ‘No, no, you’re not getting off this court with your head down, fight through it’.
“I had to go 110 per cent today.”
Coric’s teammate Donna Vekic had earlier defeated Greece’s Despina Papamichail 6-2 6-0, meaning all three city finals were locked 1-1 before the deciding night sessions.
Poland’s world No.1 Iga Swiatek levelled against Italy in Brisbane, while Cameron Norrie beat Taylor Fritz 6-4 5-7 6-4 to put Great Britain back in the frame against the United States.
American Madison Keys had halted British upstart Katie Swan’s fast start, winning 2-6 6-3 6-4, while Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti flogged Daniel Michalski of Poland 6-1 6-1 in the opening match in Brisbane.
The US are closest to sealing their tie, Jessica Pegula cruising past Harriet Dart to give her team a 2-1 lead.
The winners of the three city finals, plus the best-performing loser, will contest semi-finals of the new mixed teams event in Sydney from Friday.
Source: AAP