WHAT HAPPENED: If nothing else, Stefanos Tsitsipas will hope that his comeback during his 2025 US Open debut is the beginning of a return to form for the former world No. 3.
A two-time Grand Slam finalist who has fallen on hard times on and off the court in the past year, Tsitsipas overcame his hoodoo in Flushing, as well as his opponent, France’s Alexandre Muller, in a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (5) victory in the US Open Round 1 on Court 7.
Today marked Tsitsipas’ first match at a Grand Slam since he reappointed his father, Apostolos, as his coach after the two had a public falling out in 2024—and after Tsitsipas parted ways with his father’s replacement as coach, former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanesivic, last month. And it looked as if, after the first set, the change would yield the same poor results when Muller won the first set.
Not only did Tsitsipas turn on a switch after the first set, he became absolutely untouchable as the Greek reeled off 12 of the next 13 games in winning the middle two frames. In those two sets combined, the Greek hit 22 winners (compared to just seven unforced errors) and won 19 of his 22 first-serve points.
Tsitsipas broke Muller at love for a 3-1 lead in the fourth, but the chance to cruise to victory from there slipped away just as fast as it came as Muller broke right back in the next service game. Both held serve from there to force a tiebreak.
In the breaker, the server won the first eight points before Muller double-faulted at 4-4 to give Tsitsipas the lead. Tsitsipas let one match point slip away at 6-4, but converted on his second.
WHAT IT MEANS: As good as Tsitsipas has been at one of the two hardcourt majors, the Australian Open (24-8 career record and a 2023 runner-up finish), he’s been equally as horrid at the other, where he came into Flushing with a losing record, 6-7, before today’s win. Tsitsipas is still looking to make the second week in New York, advancing as far as the third round in both 2020 and 2021.
MATCH POINT: Sure, Tsitsipas couldn’t miss during the second and third sets, but maybe the reason the Greek’s game raised considerably was the appearance of R&B superstar Seal, who arrived on Court 7 early in the third set. The well-documented tennis fan, who has been seen at a number of matches at Jannik Sinner, said to USOpen.org that he arrived on court just as a fan.
