US Open 2022: Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out in the first round of the US Open after a four-set loss to Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan on Monday night. Galan, ranked 94 on the ATP rankings, surprised the 4th seeded Greek phenom 6-0, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 to enter the second round.
The opening two sets of Tsitsipas' performance could only be described as awful as the 24-year-old was tormented by scores of careless mistakes as Galan frequently broke his serve. The 2021 French Open finalist regained some momentum in the third set after losing 11 straight games at one point, but Galan secured his spot in the round of 64 by winning the fourth set.
Daniil Medvedev, the defending champion from Russia, defeated American Stefan Koslov earlier in the second round of the men's singles event. The Russian defeated Kozlov, ranked 111th in the world, in straight sets 6-2, 6-4, 6-0.
Top seed Medvedev does not feel burdened by being the man who won the final major of the year in 2021.
"(There is) a little bit (of) extra pressure (in being the defending champion)," he stated, "But mostly, I don't feel it, to be honest. Probably the only pressure is I know if I'm not going to play good here, for whatever reason... I will not care that I won it last year, I will just be disappointed that this year did not work out my way."
Medvedev will face Arthur Rinderknech of France next on Wednesday after the Frenchman defeated his compatriot Quentin Halys in four sets on day one.
Meanwhile, former US Open champion Dominic Thiem has been bundled out at Flushing Meadows in the first round by Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.
26-year-old, Medvedev, ranks number one on the ATP Rankings with 6,885 points, on the other hand, Stefanos Tsitsipas’s rank has been pushed down from No.4 to No.5 with 4,890 points. Now Carlos Alcaraz, 19, stands No 4 in the latest ATP rankings.
(With IANS input)