Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, reacts after defeating Alexander Zverev, of Germany, in Rogers Cup quarterfinal tennis tournament action in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, reacts after defeating Alexander Zverev, of Germany, in Rogers Cup quarterfinal tennis tournament action in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO — Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled off another upset Friday at the Rogers Cup, and top-seeded Rafael Nadal rallied at night to join the Greek teenager in the semifinals.
Tsitsipas saved two match points in a 3-6, 7-6 (11), 6-4 victory over second-seeded defending champion Alexander Zverev, and the top-seeded Nadal beat sixth-seed Marin Cilic 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Zverev, the German star coming off a victory last week in Washington, double-faulted on match point to send Tsitsipas to his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semifinal.
The 19-year-old Tsitsipas beat seventh-seeded Dominic Thiem and ninth-seeded Novak Djokovic to reach the quarterfinals. He’s the youngest player to beat three top-10 players in one tournament since Rafael Nadal — who also was 19 — in 2006 at Monte Carlo.
Tsitsipas will face fourth-seeded Kevin Anderson in the semifinals, trying to become the youngest to beat four straight top-10 players in an event since the ATP World Tour was established in 1990. Anderson beat fifth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2.
The top-seeded Nadal will play Karen Khachanov, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over Robin Haase.