Australian Open 2022: Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Benoit Paire to set up fourth-round clash against Taylor Fritz

(Source: Twitter)

Melbourne: Fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas fended off Benoit Paire 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-4 to advance to a fourth-round match against Taylor Fritz at the Australian Open.

Tsitsipas was runner-up at the French Open and reached the Australian Open semifinals last year.

No. 20-seeded Fritz had a 6-0, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over No. 15 Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.

Stefanos Tsitsipas did not realize he literally won. _#AusOpen | https://t.co/rC0MF9EtwE pic.twitter.com/2hKSsuSEaL

— Tennis GIFs __ (@tennis_gifs) January 22, 2022

The 24-year-old American, contesting his sixth Australian Open and 22nd major overall, recorded just his second win and seven head-to-head meetings with Bautista Agut, a 33-year-old Spaniard.

Maxime Cressy, another 24-year-old American, is into the fourth round at a major for the first time.

The No. 70-ranked Cressy beat Australian wildcard entry Chris O'Connell 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-2 and will next play U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev.

No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime had a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 win over No. 24 Dan Evans, winning 14 of the last 16 games after it was 4-4 in the first set.