Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrated a significant milestone today in Shanghai by securing his 200th career hard-court victory with a hard-fought win over Kei Nishikori.
Tsitsipas triumphed in two closely contested sets, 7-6 (6), 6-4, during the second round of the Masters 1000 event. This victory marked a sweet revenge for Tsitsipas, who had previously fallen to Nishikori two months earlier in Montreal.
The 26-year-old Greek player now stands as the first man born in 1998 or later to amass 200 hard-court victories. He joins an elite group of players born in 1990 or later to reach this milestone.
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]
The match began with both players holding serve consistently. Tsitsipas edged ahead in the tie-break, gaining a crucial mini-break. Nishikori managed to reach set point at 6-5, but Tsitsipas rallied to clinch the first set. In the second set, Nishikori called for a medical time-out due to an apparent leg injury, allowing Tsitsipas to capitalize and win four of the last five games, ending the match with his 14th ace.
Next, Tsitsipas, seeded No. 10, will face Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the third round. Muller earned his spot by defeating No. 18 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime earlier in the day. This matchup will be the first encounter between Tsitsipas and Muller.
Tsitsipas' victory underscores his status as a three-time Masters 1000 champion and highlights his formidable presence on the hard courts.