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Evening Standard
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Who is Stefanos Tsitsipas? The 20-year-old Greek tennis star who beat Roger Federer

Stefanos Tsitsipas is arguably the most exciting young talent in men's tennis, and his Australian Open meeting with defending champion Roger Federer on Sunday proved it as he secured a stunning win.

​Among a talented generation, 20-year-old Greek Tsitsipas stands out with his flowing curly locks and flamboyant game, but it is his fighting spirit that is perhaps his greatest asset and he showed it in abundance to beat the dangerous Nikoloz Basilashvili in the third round.

And Tsitsipas enhanced his reputation further in a match which pitted the oldest and youngest players left in the men's draw, with 20-year-old Tsitsipas overhauling 37-year-old Federer 6-7(11) 7-6(3) 7-5 7-6(5) under the lights of Rod Laver Arena, sparking delirium among Greek fans out in force at Melbourne Park.

Federer will rue his chances, having failed to convert any of the 12 break points he took from Tsitsipas over the course of a riveting clash laden with sparkling shot-making.

Tsitsipas will now play 22nd-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the semi-finals.

(REUTERS)

Here's what you need to know about Tsitsipas...

Tsitsipas is the 2018 Next Gen Finals champion, and is the youngest men's player ranked in the ATP top 20 and is current No.15 in the world - a career high.

Much like his first few matches at the tournament, Tsitsipas had several hundred boisterous Greek fans at Rod Laver Arena for his match against the Swiss star.

(Getty Images)

Tsitsipas played Federer at the Hopman Cup exhibition event two weeks ago. One of the many indications of the gap in success and experience between these two men: the 37-year-old Federer was appearing in his 101st match at Melbourne Park's main stadium; Tsitsipas his first.

Despite his talent, the young Greek also has a temper and, after the umpire decided to replay a set point for Tsitsipas during his clash with Basilashvili at 5-3 in the third set, the 14th seed let rip.

Pressed on his language afterwards, Tsitsipas apologised by saying: "It was heat of the moment. I said some really bad things. I regret saying them. But I really wanted this really bad.

"At that moment it felt like it was slipping (away). He kind of found comfort and confidence after that. So I was really frustrated. I didn't quite think what I was saying. I wish I could change that and wouldn't say that. It's not the right attitude."

Melbourne's Greek population turned out in numbers to support Tsitsipas and his countrywoman Maria Sakkari, and there were a lot of young fans in Margaret Court Arena.

In an interview with the Telegraph last July, Tsitsipas spoke of how, at the age of 16, he almost drowned in Heraklion after being caught in a rip-tide before being saved by his father.

"The waves were covering us every two or three seconds," he said. "For the first time in my life, I felt I was a few seconds from dying."

Additional reporting by the Press Association, Reuters and Associated Press.

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