Stefanos Tsitsipas Falls to Daniel Altmaier at U.S. Open

FLUSHING MEADOWS, New York — Stefanos Tsitsipas expressed frustration with opponent Daniel Altmaier‘s tactical use of underarm serves after losing a five-set match at the U.S. Open on Thursday. The dramatic match ended with a score of 7-6 (5), 1-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, eliminating the former world No. 3 from the tournament.

This marks the first time since 2017 that Tsitsipas, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, will finish a season without making it to the third round of any major tournament. Tsitsipas had a match point in the final set but could not convert it, allowing Altmaier, ranked 56th in the world, to rally back for the victory after four hours and 26 minutes of play.

During their tense handshake at the net, Tsitsipas confronted Altmaier, saying, “Next time, don’t wonder why I hit you, OK? No, I’m just saying if you serve underarm.” Tsitsipas implied his shot directed at Altmaier’s body was a reaction to the German’s strategic serve.

The crowd reacted with boos as Altmaier backed away, refusing to engage further in the exchange, indicating the heightening tension between both players. Tsitsipas has struggled this season, having not won back-to-back matches since April at the Barcelona Open. In a bid to revive his performance, he recently parted ways with his coach Goran Ivanisevic and reinstated his father, Apostolos, as coach.

With this loss, Tsitsipas drops to 28th in the world rankings, reflecting a worrying decline in form for the 27-year-old player.