MELBOURNE: Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas recovered from two sets down to stun Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open quarter-finals on Wednesday, ending the Spaniard’s bid for a record 21st Grand Slam title.
Second seed Nadal was on course for a comfortable victory before Tsitsipas turned the match around to prevail 3-6, 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-5 in a seismic upset.
“I don’t know what happened after the third set — I fly like little bird, everything was working for me,” Tsitsipas said.
“The emotions at the end were indescribable, they were something else.”
It was just the second time Nadal had lost when two sets up in a Grand Slam, having previously fallen to Fabio Fognini in the third round of the 2015 US Open.
Nadal, 34, remains tied with Roger Federer on 20 Grand Slam titles, but Novak Djokovic can pull within two if he wins his 18th major trophy at Melbourne Park.
Fifth seed Tsitsipas will now attempt to reach a maiden Grand Slam final when he plays the in-form Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal.
He beat Nadal for just the second time from eight matches. Djokovic will play the other semifinal against Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev.
Australian Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas stuns Rafael Nadal in five sets
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Australian Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas stuns Rafael Nadal in five sets
- Second-seed Nadal was on course for a comfortable victory before Tsitsipas turned the match around
Esports World Cup 2026 tickets go on sale
- First wave of tickets includes early-bird passes, premium experiences, special travel offers ahead of 7-week competition for record-breaking $75m prize pool
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation has officially opened ticket sales for the Esports World Cup 2026, the world’s largest esports event, which returns to Riyadh from July 6 to Aug. 23.
The first wave of ticket options for fans is now live at esportsworldcup.com and through international ticketing partners Tixr (US and EU), Webook (Middle East and Saudi Arabia), Platinumlist (Middle East and India), and Damai (China), alongside special travel packages from Saudia Holidays.
EWC 2026 will feature a record-breaking $75 million prize pool that reflects the evolution of the EWC as a premier sporting event and the anchor multi-title competition within the global esports ecosystem.
Over 2,000 players representing more than 200 clubs and over 100 countries will compete in Riyadh in the industry-leading cross-game club championship that is now a focal point of the esports calendar.
Saudia Holidays, the travel division of Saudia, the Kingdom’s national carrier, is offering an all-in-one early-bird package to experience the Esports World Cup, including return flights, hand-picked hotels near the action, and a free all-access pass for the full duration of the stay, with simple booking and no hidden fees.
Regular tournament passes and daily passes will be released in the next wave of sales.
The EWCF has officially confirmed the weekly schedule for EWC 2026, locking in seven weeks of world-class competition.
Early-bird ticket options include the Weekly All-Access Pass, which offers the best value to international visitors, with unlimited event access, fast-track access to all esports stages, festival experiences, and a limited-edition goodie bag.
The Premium Tournament Pass gives fast-track entry to every match of the selected game tournament, plus a limited-edition goodie bag.
The Esports Embassy option offers high-end hospitality in a luxurious private environment, with premium viewing lounges, curated food and beverages, and private meeting spaces.
