Tennis News: 25-year-old tennis player Roman Safiullin has surprisingly managed to set foot in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon 2023 after winning in four sets.
The world number 92 successfully beat Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 to reach the Grand Slam quarter-finals for the first time in his career. She broke the Canadian tennis player’s serve five times in the last three sets of the fourth round which lasted 2 hours and 11 minutes.
In the quarter-finals, the 25-year-old tennis player will face Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner or Colombian tennis player Daniel Elahi Galan.
Although Shapovalov started to struggle a bit physically as the match progressed, the world number 92 maintained a high level of play throughout the game. She had 33 winners, slightly more than the world number 29 who hit 30 en route to claiming one of the biggest wins of her career.
“It’s my first time in the main draw and my first time beyond the second round of a Grand Slam, and to get to the quarterfinals is amazing,” Safiullin said.
“I don’t really believe it at the moment, but I’m happy to have overcome Denis and I hope he recovers soon.”
Before world number 92, the last player to advance to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon at the first attempt was Australian tennis player, Nick Kyrgios, who beat then world number 1, Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. of the 2014 season.
This season, the 25-year-old is not the only male tennis player to reach the fourth round on his Wimbledon debut after American Christopher Eubanks also achieved the feat.
Thanks to his victory over Shapovalov, he has now moved up 49 places to become the 12th Open Era male player to reach the quarter-finals on his tournament debut, along with Kyrgios, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe.
“It’s definitely something special,” Safiullin replied when asked to join the ranks of players who have achieved the feat.
“I didn’t know that these famous tennis players were also on the list. I will do my best in the quarter-finals to go as far as possible here.
Both players’ winning percentages on their respective first serves were similar, but the world No. 92 won 81% of the points on his second serves, while Shapovalov won 58% of his second serves.
Safiullin was also more efficient at taking advantage of break point opportunities after converting five of the nine break point opportunities he created, while Shapovalov only converted one of the three opportunities he created .
Article tags: Tennis, Wimbledon, Roman Safiullin, Denis Shapovalov
“Amateur problem solver. Hipster-friendly alcohol lover. Beer buff. Infuriatingly humble tv geek.”
