“Shittypas tried the Dulltek move but still failed” – Serena Williams’ former coach leads trolls against Stefanos Tsitsipas as he mimics Iga Swiatek’s distraction move against Taylor Fritz at the 2024 Australian Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas' poor sportsmanship act against Taylor Fritz at the 2024 Australian Open draws flak from fans against the Greek.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas and Iga Swiatek attempting to distract their opponents (Credits: Twitter)
Stefanos Tsitsipas‘ run at the 2024 Australian Open comes to an end in the third round. The runner-up from the 2023 edition lost to 12th-seeded Taylor Fritz to exit the event. The American won the match 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in Melbourne Park.
It was a disciplined performance by Fritz who controlled the match well. The Greek committed 7 double faults and 33 unforced errors that ultimately cost him the tie.
On the other hand, the American made just 2 double faults and 19 unforced errors. The win takes him into the top 10 of the live rankings as well.
The first two sets were evenly balanced between the two. Fritz however took charge from the third set and ensured he wrapped it in the very next set.
The 12th seed is now in his second consecutive quarter-final at the Grand Slams. He had also reached the last 8 at the 2023 US Open only to lose to eventual winner Novak Djokovic.
The match, however, got marked with controversy following the Greek’s action on the match point. Serving to stay in the match, the 7th seed served the ball right on the T and approached the net as Fritz stretched to secure the return. Stef’s drop shot provided the American with the chance to fire a backhand across the court to secure the point and win the match.
Fans criticize Stefanos Tsitsipas for poor sportsmanship against Taylor Fritz
The actions of Stefanos Tsitsipas, however, received flak from the fans. As Taylor Fritz prepared to hit the backhand, the Greek was seen raising his hands in what looked like an attempt to distract the American. But it wasn’t fruitful, as the shot was executed perfectly and dumped the seventh seed out of the Major.
Fans were quick to react to the incident and expressed their opinions on Twitter. Serena Williams‘ former coach Rennae Stubbs also questioned the Greek’s intent along with many other fans.
Sharing a wide spectrum of reactions online, here’s what fans have to say:
There was no official action taken against the Greek and it is unlikely that there will be any repercussions. While the fans did draw parallels to Iga Swiatek’s actions as well, Fritz has not made any comment about the incident so far.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)