NEW YORK (Reuters) – Croatian Borna Coric saved six match points as he rallied from 5-1 down in the fourth set to stun Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7(2) 6-4 4-6 7-5 7-6(4) and send the fourth seed tumbling out of the U.S Open in the third round on Friday.
In the sort of late drama that would on any other year have had the Flushing Meadows crowd baying for more, Coric looked down for the count in the fourth but fought back to force a decider at an empty Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The gritty 27th seed again had to come from a break down in the fifth set but looked indefatigable as he secured a place in the fourth round with victory in the decisive tiebreak.
Coric, one of four players to test positive for COVID-19 after playing on the ill-fated Adria Tour earlier this year, will face Australian Jordan Thompson on Sunday for a spot in his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
