Tag: Final

  • Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois Predictions: DDD can see the final bell

    Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois Predictions: DDD can see the final bell

    The Heavyweight division finally provides a fight of note on Saturday evening, when unified champion Oleksandr Usyk puts his belts on the line against Britain’s Daniel Dubois. We’ve previewed the fight and given you our predictions of how we think it will go down.

    Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois Betting Tips

    • Oleksandr Usyk to win on points – 11/4

    Oleksandr Usyk (20-0-0(12ko)) has taken no time at all to establish himself as one of the world’s best pound for pound fighters and also best heavyweights.

    When he first came into the weight division, many questioned whether he had the height, weight and power to step up from cruiserweight but what we see now is a fully fleshed out heavy and he looks in tremendous physical shape.

    Regulation back-to-back wins over Anthony Joshua have secured his legacy in this weight division and now he fights close to home, in Poland but with a rumoured 40,000 Ukrainians in attendance. He will be desperate to put on a show for the watching world.

    In his way is a man that has been predicted to be the next big thing for some time now. Daniel Dubois (19-0-0 (18ko)) exploded onto the scene and won 14 of his first 15 fights via knock out, before running into a literal juggernaut in Joe Joyce.

    The loss to Joyce for the European title was a huge setback but the Londoner has steadily built himself back into a world title contender.

    ‘DDD’ has perhaps been a fortunate opportunist, as a result of the current mess in the heavyweight division, with the best unwilling or unable to agree to fight the best.

    The 25-year-old has stepped in and has been handed the biggest of opportunities against the unified champion. But is it one he can take?

    Where and when is the fight taking place?

    The fight is happening at the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland, on Saturday, 26th August and will be broadcast live and exclusively on TNT Sports Box Office in the UK at a cost of £19.95. The event is an Alex Krassyuk promotion for K2 Promotions.  The show will start at around 6PM, with the main ring walk taking place at around 11PM, UK time.

    What does the full fight card look like?

    • MAIN EVENT: Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois –  WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles
    • Denys Berinchyk vs Anthony Yigit
    • Dmytro Mytrofanov vs Hamzah Sheeraz
    • Daniel Lapin vs Aro Schwartz
    • Fiodor Czerkaszyn vs Anauel Ngamissengue
    • Rafal Wolczecki vs Roberto Arriaza
    • Vasile Cebotari vs Joel Julio
    • Nursultan Amanzholov vs Lazizbek Mullojonov
    • Oleksandr Solomennikov vs Piotr Gudel
    • Ziyad Almaayouf vs Janos Penzes
    • Bryce Mills vs Damian Tymosz
    • Yaroslav Khartsyz vs Konrad Czajkowski

    (subject to change)

    Who’s the favourite?

    The champ, Usyk is as short as you would expect, as the 1/10 favourite, with Dubois a 6/1 outsider. The bookies have the draw all the way out at 25/1.

    What’s been said?

    The Betfred Lightweight Show host Anthony Crolla has done his usual break down of the fight, with his brother William.

     

     

    Crolla has also given us a prediction of Usyk to win in rounds 7-9, which has been boosted out to 9/2 from 18/5. You can back Anthony’s selection below.

     

     

    “I treat him (Dubois) with respect, I don’t underestimate anyone.

    I’ve trained as hard as I do for any fighter.

    The guys who are fighting on the frontline (of the Ukraine war) tell me that I inspire them.

    Dubois is a nice guy but it’s time to stop talking, let’s see each other on August 26th.”

    Oleksandr Usyk

     

    “I’m excited, it’s my dream. It’s every heavyweight’s dream to be fighting for the titles, three of the belts.

    It means so much to me right now, I’m ready to go, so let’s get it on.

    I’ve had a lot of Cruiser weight sparring, southpaw sparring, but I’m ready.

    It’s good to be the underdog in a fight.”

    Daniel Dubois

     

    Oleksandr Usyk to win on points – 11/4

    Usyk has always been more of a boxer than a puncher and that’s doubly the case at heavyweight.

    His last stoppage was against last minute replacement Chazz Witherspoon, who retired on his stool at the end of the 7th round.

    Before that, he knocked out Tony Bellew, although that was back down at cruiser.

    I think Usyk will win almost every round here but he mentioned in his pre-fight chats that he doesn’t actively look for the knockout and is happy to box.

    Dubois is pretty durable and a big man and I think he has enough minerals to make it to the end of the 12th.

    *All prices correct at the time of writing.

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  • Heartbreaking news as World Cup final hero Olga Carmona’s father passes away shortly after Spain’s victory

    Heartbreaking news as World Cup final hero Olga Carmona’s father passes away shortly after Spain’s victory

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    Spain World Cup hero Olga Carmona learned about the death of her father just after she scored the winner for her country.

    Carmona scored the only goal of the game to help Spain win the Women’s World Cup beating England 1-0.

    Her goal in the first half was enough for Spain to make history by winning the tournament for the first time.

    But soon after joy turned into sorrow as the player was told the tragic news about her father who died soon after the final whistle.

    A statement from the Royal Spanish Football Federation confirmed the sad news.

    The statement read:

    “The RFEF deeply regrets to report the death of Olga Carmona’s father. The football player learned the sad news after the World Cup final.

    “We send our most sincere hugs to Olga and her family in a moment of deep pain.

    We love you, Olga, you are the history of Spanish football.”

     

    The post Heartbreaking news as World Cup final hero Olga Carmona’s father passes away shortly after Spain’s victory appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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  • Real and Benzema destroy Barça at the Nou Camp and reach the final

    Real and Benzema destroy Barça at the Nou Camp and reach the final

    What’s next after this ad

    Relegated to 12 points in La Liga and beaten 1-0 in the first leg at the Santiago-Bernabéu in the Copa del Rey semi-final, Real Madrid came to challenge FC Barcelona at the Nou Camp in a weak position. This was felt during the first minutes. With Camavinga on the left side and Benzema at the forefront, the Merengues started this meeting with difficulty. Jostled by the intensity put by the Catalans, they owed their salvation to Courtois, author of a decisive parade in front of Rapinha (14th), and especially Robert Lewandowski just before the break (45th). Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti’s men had let the storm pass. Vinicius even almost opened the scoring, without a return from Araujo in front of his line (12th). Very nervous, the young Brazilian completely missed this first period, until one-two with Benzema. Shifted by his teammate on the right, the French faked his shot to get back on Vinicius, who unlocked the scoreboard (0-1, 45th + 1).

    Real had done the hardest part by returning to the author of its best enemy. Better still, he quickly took the lead after returning from the locker room thanks to Benzema. The Ballon d’Or 2022 took advantage of a ball from Modric and a slip from Koundé to make the break (0-2, 50th). In the process, Kessié hooked Vinicius and offered Benzema the double from the penalty spot (0-3, 58th). Barça had just lost the thread of this match in a few minutes. Xavi’s changes were no longer enough, especially since Eric Garcia was hardly reassuring by receiving a warning a handful of seconds after coming into play. Ter Stegen kept his people alive on this recovery from Asensio (78th) but bowed again on this new goal from Benzema (0-4, 81st), author of a fabulous hat-trick. Humiliated in their stadium 4-0, the Blaugranas came out of the match and responded to opposing provocations in a particularly tense end to the game. It doesn’t matter for Real Madrid, who will join Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final on May 5.

    To read
    Barça-Real Madrid: Eintracht makes fun of Barça

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  • Shevchenko, Borges Continue Hot Streaks To Meet In Phoenix Final

    Shevchenko, Borges Continue Hot Streaks To Meet In Phoenix Final

    Alexander Shevchenko and Nuno Borges have been enjoying a sizzling start to the season on the ATP Challenger Tour. Now, they will put their hot streaks on the line when they clash in Sunday’s championship match at the 2023 Phoenix Challenger.

    Because of rain earlier this week, Saturday’s action at the Arizona Tennis Classic featured quarter-final matches in the morning and the semi-finals after suitable rest. Shevchenko, who advanced through qualifying, won back-to-back three setters, including against top seed Matteo Berrettini, to advance to his second Challenger final of the season. Borges, 26, extended his Challenger-level winning streak to nine.

    Because of rain earlier this week, Saturday’s action at the Arizona Tennis Classic featured quarter-final matches in the morning and the semi-finals after suitable rest.

     

    The 22-year-old Shevchenko started the day by ousting World No. 23 Berrettini 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. A few hours later, Shevchenko returned to Centre Court and rallied from a set down to defeat Quentin Halys 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3.

    “It’s been an absolute unreal day,” Shevchenko said. “First starting against Matteo and then winning in tough three sets is absolutely something ridiculous. I never imagined I could do it and now I did. I’m shocked about it.”

    Against the Frenchman Halys, Shevchenko was down 0-2 in the final set and fended off two break points to avoid going down a double break. The Arizona crowd quickly got behind the qualifier to help bring him across the finish line. Despite cramping late in the deciding set, Shevchenko rallied to continue his dream week.

    Earlier this year, Shevchenko claimed his second Challenger Tour title when he triumphed at the Tenerife Challenger-1. Boasting a 9-3 Challenger-level season record, Shevchenko stated that he’s seeing his hard work beginning to pay off.

    “I got a lot of matches last year and I was just a rookie on the Challenger Tour,” Shevchenko said. “This year I started how I expected and I knew as time goes on, I’m going to be better and better and it’s showing up right now.”

    A jam-packed crowd enjoys Saturday's action at the Challenger 175 event in Phoenix.
    A jam-packed crowd enjoys Saturday’s action at the Challenger 175 event in Phoenix. Credit: Mary Grace Grabill

    Shevchenko is coached by Gunter Bresnik, who has worked with prominent players such as Boris Becker, Patrick McEnroe, Dominic Thiem, and Gael Monfils.

    Should Shevchenko defeat Borges to claim the Phoenix Challenger 175 title, he will crack the Top 100 for the first time.

    “I expect a tough battle,” Shevchenko said. “I need to recover as fast as possible because I am cramping. But Nuno is a really good player, inside the Top 100, and he’s had really good wins here.”

    Portuguese No. 1 Borges defeated Australian Alexei Popyrin in a three-set quarter-final before taking out Jan-Lennard Struff in the final four. The former Mississippi State University standout needed just one hour, seven minutes to down German qualifier Struff 6-4, 6-2.

    “Great day out there for me, surprised myself honestly” Borges said. “I knew it was going to be a long and tough day. But I played great, especially in the semi-finals. I’m really proud of myself and can’t wait for the final.”

    Borges, who is at a career-high 78 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, claimed last month’s Monterrey Challenger and is riding a nine-match winning streak at the Challenger level.

    “The start of the year has been quite amazing,” Borges said. “The last few weeks have been really positive. Started in Mexico and I’ve been on a streak you could say. I’ve been enjoying being on tour and playing these tournaments and nice places.”

    [ATP APP]

    Looking ahead to Sunday’s final, Borges knows that his work will be cut out for him.

    “Shevchenko has been on a roll, I’ve seen him around a lot but we haven’t played each other,” Borges said. “I’m expecting big things from him and I’m hoping I’m up for the challenge. It’s been a great tournament for him and for me. Let’s enjoy the final and do our best.”

    In Phoenix doubles action, Australian Open finalists Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski advanced to the final after defeating Roberto Carballes Baena and Pedro Martinez 6-4, 6-2.

    Nys and Zielinksi will next meet American duo Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow, who downed Julian Cash and Henry Patten 6-7(7), 6-4, 10-4 in Saturday’s semi-final.

  • Van Assche Survives Historic Challenger Final; Purcell Completes Hat-Trick

    Van Assche Survives Historic Challenger Final; Purcell Completes Hat-Trick

    French teen Luca Van Assche and Australian Max Purcell etched their names into the ATP Challenger Tour record books this week.

    Van Assche, 18, saved two championship points against countryman Ugo Humbert to win the longest Challenger final in history (three hours, 56 minutes) at the Terega Open Pau Pyrenees. Purcell extended his winning streak to 15 by triumphing for a third consecutive week in India. American Aleksandar Kovacevic also collected a title of his own at the Texas Tennis Classic.

    In the Pau Challenger 125 final in southern France, home hope Van Assche rallied from a double break down at 0-3 in the final set and again from 4/6 in the deciding-set tie-break before winning four consecutive points to survive Humbert 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(6) and capture his second Challenger title.

     

    “It was a crazy match, an amazing fight against Ugo,” Van Assche said. “I’m very happy. A lot of emotions during this match. I was leading, then losing. I was match point up, then match point down. It was a fantastic match with great support from the crowd.

    “At 4/6 in the tie-break, I was hoping he wouldn’t hit an ace! I was playing point by point, just focussing on every point. I was a little bit exhausted so I was not thinking too much, just playing my game.”

    Van Assche, who won the Maia Challenger in 2022, is the fourth Frenchman to win multiple Challenger titles before turning 19, joining Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils, and Fabrice Santoro. The Belgian-born player is the fifth #NextGenATP Challenger champion of the year and joins Arthur Fils as the only teenage champions of 2023.

    En route to the title, Van Assche needed deciding sets in four of his five matches and ousted the Top 3 seeds: Arthur Rinderknech, Humbert, and Gijs Brouwer. The teen rises to a career-high No. 110 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

    Luca Van Assche triumphs at the Challenger 125 in Pau.
    Luca Van Assche triumphs at the Challenger 125 in Pau, France. Credit: Alexis Atteret

    There was no stopping Max Purcell at the Pune Metropolitan Region Challenger. After dropping the opening set in his first-round match against Mukund Sasikumar, the 24-year-old didn’t lose a set the rest of the week to claim a third consecutive Challenger title (Chennai, Bengaluru). In the championship match, the third seed defeated 19-year-old Italian Luca Nardi 6-2, 6-3.

    “It’s great to win three in a row,” Purcell said. “In tough, hot conditions too, I recovered well since the first week and now I’m thrilled to move into the Top 100.”

    Three weeks ago, Purcell was No. 203 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, but following his trio of titles in India, the Sydney native climbs to a career-high 95.

    Max Purcell in action at the 2023 Pune Challenger.
    Max Purcell in action at the Challenger 100 event in Pune. Credit: Pune Metropolitan Region Challenger

    The 2022 Wimbledon doubles champion (w/ Matthew Ebden) is the 14th player to claim three consecutive Challenger titles and the first since Ben Shelton did so this past season (Charlottesville, Knoxville, Champaign). Purcell is the first Australian to achieve the feat in Challenger history.

    At the Texas Tennis Classic in Waco, third seed Kovacevic dropped just one set en route to his second Challenger title of the season. The 24-year-old defeated Alexandre Muller in the final 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

    In the semi-finals, the American avenged his loss from last week’s Monterrey Challenger to Borna Gojo, who defeated him in the quarter-finals in Mexico en route to the title.

    [ATP APP]

    This past month, Kovacevic won his maiden Challenger title in Cleveland, where he defeated Wu Yibing in a thrilling championship match before the Chinese star won the ATP 250 event in Dallas the following week.

    Now at a career-high 107, the former University of Illinois standout Kovacevic sets his sights on cracking the Top 100 at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, where he received a main-draw wild card.

  • Erik ten Hag confirms Manchester United forward will miss Carabao Cup final

    Erik ten Hag confirms Manchester United forward will miss Carabao Cup final

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    Manchester United face Newcastle on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final as Erik ten Hag looks to win his first trophy in charge.

    Manchester United have been in excellent form since Ten Hag took over and have a chance of winning all four competitions they’re currently competing in.

    The Premier League will of course be the toughest, but they have a chance against Newcastle on Sunday to win their first trophy of the season.

    However, they will have to deal without forward Anthony Martial, as Ten Hag has ruled him out of the final, as relayed by Laurie Whitwell below.

    Martial has spent an awful lot of time on the treatment table this season, undoubtedly frustrating Manchester United fans. Wout Weghorst was signed on loan during the January transfer window, and it’s a good job he was considering Martial’s fitness issues.

    Whether Martial would be a starter in the cup final is up for debate, but he’s certainly a good option to have off the bench which a lack of numbers up front for Manchester United. Marcus Rashford is capable of playing in this position, but he’s been so effective off the left this season.

     

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  • Man Utd could have an advantage of Newcastle during Sunday’s final

    Man Utd could have an advantage of Newcastle during Sunday’s final

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    Manchester United will take on Newcastle United in the final of the Carabao Cup at Wembley on Sunday and the Red Devils might have a slight advantage over their rivals in the final.

    The Carabao Cup final will head into extra time if the two teams are on level terms after the ninety minutes as opposed to the previous rounds in the tournament where the match headed into a penalty shootout after normal time.

    The extra half an hour of game time could prove to be an advantage for the Red Devils who have a deeper squad.

    Newcastle United have had an impressive season so far and there is no doubt that they have a talented core of players at their disposal.

    However, Eddie Howe has a thin squad and his squad depth has been tested at times, following a number of injury problems this season.

    Newcastle will certainly struggle to sustain a high level of performance for two hours if the match heads into extra time.

    The Magpies will probably hope to secure a positive result for themselves in normal time tomorrow and it remains to be seen how the contest unfolds.

    The post Man Utd could have an advantage of Newcastle during Sunday’s final appeared first on CaughtOffside.

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  • Alcaraz Races Into Buenos Aires Final In First Tournament Back

    Alcaraz Races Into Buenos Aires Final In First Tournament Back

    Carlos Alcaraz missed four months due to injury, but he has picked up where he left off.

    The Spaniard advanced to the Argentina Open final on Saturday when he cruised past countryman Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2, 6-2 in 77 minutes. The top seed will try to secure his first title of 2023 in his first tournament since last year’s Rolex Paris Masters.

    “It’s a really special moment for me,” Alcaraz said. “I was a little bit down after the injury, so I had to recover in those four months the confidence and the rhythm. Coming back for my first tournament of 2023 and making the final is so special for me.”

    [BREAK POINT]

    The 19-year-old knows he will face a tough challenger in the championship clash against second seed Cameron Norrie. The Spaniard leads their ATP Head2Head series 3-1, but Norrie claimed their most recent meeting last year in Cincinnati.

    “I played a couple of times against him. [He is] a really, really tough player,” Alcaraz said. “I know that I have to give everything I have in the final. I’m going to say it’s going to be a really tough final, but at the same time a beautiful one.”

    Despite losing a set in his first match of the tournament against Laslo Djere, Alcaraz has gained momentum on the Argentina clay. A winner in Rio de Janeiro last year, Alcaraz will try to add another South American crown to his trophy case. 

    After one point early in the second set, Alcaraz hit an open-stance backhand winner up the line on the full stretch. Zapata Miralles threw his hands up in disbelief, knowing his opponent was finding an answer for all the questions he was asking with his own game.

    Alcaraz was relentless with his pressure from the baseline, punishing every ball that did not drive him back. He won 55 per cent of his return points and broke serve five times.

    Photo Credit: Argentina Open/Sergio Llamera
    Norrie is also finding his clay-court footing in Buenos Aires. The second seed advanced to the final with a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory against Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas.

    “It’s going to be a tough one for sure regardless of who I play,” Norrie said before knowing Alcaraz will be his opponent. “I lost a tough final in Auckland, so hopefully I can get some good feelings back tomorrow in the final.”

    [ATP APP]

    Norrie needed three sets to battle through his first two matches of the week at the ATP 250. However, the lefty raised his level in the semi-finals against a gritty foe in Varillas, who reached a career-high No. 94 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in January.

    The Peruvian rallied the crowd to his side and clawed back deficits throughout the match, saving two set points when serving at 4-5 in the opening set and another at 5-6. But Norrie, who has team members from Argentina, never let slip his focus. He saved two break points in the final game to triumph after one hour and 54 minutes. 

  • All the goals from exciting Spanish Super Cup final as Barcelona convincingly beat Real Madrid

    All the goals from exciting Spanish Super Cup final as Barcelona convincingly beat Real Madrid

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    Barcelona have won the Spanish Super Cup after putting in a very impressive display to beat Real Madrid 3-1 in the final of the tournament. 

    It is the first trophy won by Xavi as the Barca boss and the performance of his team will likely please him more going forward than the actual result and trophy.

    The Catalan side were the better of the two teams throughout and the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story, as Xavi’s side somewhat humiliated their bitter rivals in El Clasico.

    The deadlock was broken by Gavi after 33 minutes before Robert Lewandowski made it 2-0 just before halftime. Pedri added a third for the Catalan side to kill off the match as Karim Benzema grabbed a consolation goal in the final minute of the match.

    All the goals from the thrilling final can be seen below.

    Footage courtesy of BT Sports and SSC 1

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  • After Tsitsipas Heroics, Bronzetti Sends Italy To United Cup Final

    After Tsitsipas Heroics, Bronzetti Sends Italy To United Cup Final

    Lucia Bronzetti clinched Italy’s place in the United Cup final in style with a 78-minute 6-2, 6-3 victory over Valentini Grammatikopoulou.

    Italy led Greece 2-0 overnight, but Stefanos Tsitsipas clawed one point back by defeating Matteo Berrettini 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 in the third match of the tie.

    “It was not easy, because it was the most important point,” Bronzetti said. “I felt pressure because I had to win.”

    Italy lost its City Final in Brisbane against Poland, but earned a spot in Sydney as the best-placed runner-up. They have taken full advantage, and will now try to lift the trophy on Sunday.

    With Greece’s No. 2 women’s singles player Despina Papamichail unable to play, the last-minute substitution of Valentini Grammatikopoulou could have been an advantage: the No.199-ranked 25-year-old had beaten Bronzetti in both of their previous meetings, including in the final of last August’s Vancouver 125 event to seal the biggest title of her career.

    However, an unbothered Bronzetti came out in top form, smothering Grammatikopoulou with depth and changes of direction. It was the Greek player who played as though taken by surprise by an unexpected opponent, racking up 15 errors to only three winners in a nervy first set.

    Grammatikopoulou settled to make the second a closer contest, pounding away several sharp forehand winners. But Bronzetti responded by raising her own level, breaking in the third game after an off forehand winner followed by a dead net cord. A series of terrific passing shots helped her maintain her lead through to the finish, and an errant Grammatikopoulou drive volley sealed the Italian’s first match point.

    “I knew that it would have been a tough match,” Bronzetti said. “I’m proud of myself, because I think that I had a good attitude in the court, and I also played good.”


    Photo Credit: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

    Tsitsipas gave his country a chance when he produced a heroic effort against Berrettini. The Greek kept alive the tie when he rallied past the Italian after two hours and 35 minutes.

    “What a great atmosphere out here, I’m loving it,” Tsitsipas said. “We won this together guys.”

    For the first half of the No. 1 men’s singles match, Berrettini was in control. Full of confidence after victories against Thiago Monteiro and Top 10 stars Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz earlier in the mixed-teams competition, the Italian used his booming serve and thunderous forehand to keep the Greek on the back foot.

    Despite having the racquet taken out of his hand for much of the match, Tsitsipas began to encourage the Ken Rosewall Arena crowd to involve itself midway into the second set. That proved the turning point.

    The Greek fans enthusiastically complied, waving flags and supporting its top-ranked male player. Cries of “Hellas! Hellas! Hellas!” began reverberating through the crowd.

    “It was personally a great match, a great atmosphere,” Berrettini said. “We knew that in Australia there is a big Greek community, so we felt it yesterday obviously when the No. 1 player was playing. It was even bigger. It was really nice.”

    Suddenly, despite being down a set, momentum was on Tsitsipas’ side. Berrettini, who rarely let slip his concentration during the match, misfired throughout the tie-break, which the Greek took full advantage of.

    After firing up the crowd, Tsitsipas, who was seemingly hanging on for much of the first two sets, used the support to his advantage. Berrettini earned a break chance at 3-2 in the decider, but missed a forehand up the line. Tsitsipas surged from there to claim his country’s first win of the tie.

    “Somehow I hung in there. I was waiting for my chances. He’s a big server as we all know. He hits some bombs consistently, so you have to accept a few and you have to move on from that point, concentrate on your serve,” Tsitsipas said. “I played a very good game in that game that I broke. I was able to play with a lot of intensity and I think my concentration peaked at that particular game.”