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Stefanos Tsitsipas posts 200th hard-court win of career with victory over Nishikori in Shanghai

He’s the first man born in 1998 or later to hit that number.

ByJohn Berkok

Published Oct 04, 2024

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Two months ago, Kei Nishikori took out Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round of the Masters 1000 event in Montreal, 6-4, 6-4.

But today, 7,000 miles away, Tsitsipas got his revenge, battling past his fellow former Top 5 player in two tight sets in the second round of the Masters 1000 event in Shanghai, 7-6 (6), 6-4.

And it was a milestone win: the 200th hard-court win of his career.

The 26-year-old Greek is the seventh man born in 1990 or later to record 200 career hard-court wins, the fourth man born in 1995 or later to achieve the feat, and the first man born in 1998 or later to do it.

MEN BORN IN 1990 OR LATER WITH 200+ HARDCOURT WINS (tour-level):
301: Grigor Dimitrov [born in 1991]
290: Daniil Medvedev [born in 1996]
264: Milos Raonic [born in 1990]
261: Alexander Zverev [born in 1997]
234: Andrey Rublev [born in 1997]
218: David Goffin [born in 1990]
200: Stefanos Tsitsipas [born in 1998]

Medvedev will play his opening match in Shanghai later today. Dimitrov, Zverev, Rublev and Goffin will all play their second-round matches on Saturday, and Raonic is not competing this week.

Tsitsipas is a three-time Masters 1000 champion.

Tsitsipas is a three-time Masters 1000 champion.

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The first set could have gone either way on Friday—after 12 straight holds to start the match, Tsitsipas drew first blood in the tie-break, grabbing a mini-break for a 4-2 lead. Nishikori responded, winning four of the next five points to get to set point at 6-5, but Tsitsipas retaliated, winning the next three points to close out the set.

After another five straight holds to start the second set, a visibly ailing Nishikori took a medical time-out to deal with what appeared to be a leg issue, and from there it was all Tsitsipas, who won four of the last five games to close it out, sealing the win with his 14th ace of the day.

Awaiting the No. 10-seeded Tsitsipas in the third round in Shanghai will be unseeded Frenchman Alexandre Muller, who took out No. 18-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 6-2, earlier in the day.

Tsitsipas and Muller will be playing each other for the first time.