US Open 2023: Qualifier Dominic Stricker left ‘speechless’ after shock win over seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas

Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a shock early exit at the US Open as Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker stunned the seventh seed in a gruelling five-set epic lasting more than four hours.

The world No. 128 edged an absorbing contest 7-5 6-7(2) 6-7(5) 7-6(6) 6-3 to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

It continues a remarkable campaign for the 21-year-old, who came through qualifying to reach the main draw before stunning Alexei Popyrin in the opening round.

But Stricker’s win over Tsitsipas – the Australian Open runner-up – is undoubtedly the biggest of his career to date.

“I came out today pretty well. I felt good from the first set on. It was a tough battle but I am just super happy right now,” Stricker said.

“I am going to enjoy the rest of the day and then I will recover for the next round.

“I was down 3-5 and then I came back in the fourth set. I don’t know how, but I did it somehow and then I kept playing very high level tennis. I am a bit speechless but it is a great day.”

The Swiss will face Benjamin Bonzi or 28th seed Christopher Eubanks in the third round as his dream run continues.

Stricker got off to the perfect start by edging a tight first set 7-5 after taking a late break, but Tsitsipas’ vastly superior experience showed when he won back-to-back tie-breaks to edge back in front over the next two sets.

The No. 7 seed looked set to complete his comeback when he took a 5-3 lead in the fourth set and had the chance to serve out the match, but Stricker broke back to deny the Greek.

A third consecutive tie-break followed and the momentum was with Tsitsipas, but Stricker finished strongly to earn a decider.

There, he broke in Tsitsipas’ opening service game and never looked back, storming through the set confidently before finishing the job with a sizzling forehand – his 78th winner of the match.

It was the first Top 10 win of the youngster’s career and came in his maiden appearance at the US Open.

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner confidently swept past Yannick Hanfmann with a 6-3 6-1 6-1 win inside the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Sinner never looked back after breaking the German in the second game, and despite Hanfmann rescuing four set points at 2-5, it only delayed the inevitable.

The Italian then comfortably held the next game to love to draw first blood in the contest, and carried on his unrelenting momentum.

He moved into a 4-0 lead in the second set, and after the next two games went to serve, Sinner broke Hanfmann again to move two sets ahead.

Sinner would break Hanfmann twice more in the third to wrap up proceedings in a mere two hours and 18 minutes.

Speaking after the victory, he said: “I thought everything went in the right direction. Me and my team, we work very well, especially in the gym. I feel better physically. I feel stronger as the match goes on and I have more options in my game, we can all see the progress.

“I was playing well; I was returning good. Sometimes the serve could be a little bit better. But the atmosphere is obviously very nice. I know physically I’m healthy, which is most important.”

Sinner will face compatriot Lorenzo Sonego on Thursday, and could be in line to meet Alcaraz in the quarter-finals should everything go to plan.

There was a retirement late in the day when Dominic Thiem suffered another fitness blow.

Up against America’s Ben Shelton, he lost the first set 7-6(7-1) and then had to retire 1-0 down in the second after appearing to suffer from abdominal problems, and revealed he had been sick before the match.

Shelton said after the match: “He did a great job masking it. He’s a great fighter and a great champion. To see him go down like that when he walked back on court, I knew something was wrong. It’s a shame. He’s been playing great tennis these last few weeks.”