In a shocking upset, Jan-Lennard Struff defeated world number five Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open on Thursday.
Struff, a 33-year-old German, had lost in the qualifying round before being given a spot in the main draw. His triumph over Tsitsipas marks an impressive achievement, as he becomes only the third lucky loser in ATP Masters history to reach the semi-finals.
The match was a closely contested affair, with Struff eventually emerging victorious in three sets. He won the first set in a tiebreak, before Tsitsipas took the second 5-7. Struff then held his nerve to take the decider 6-3, setting up a semi-final showdown with Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev.
Ranked 65th in the world, Struff will be hoping to continue his unexpected run of form against Karatsev on Friday. The other semi-final will see defending champion Carlos Alcaraz take on Borna Coric of Croatia. Alcaraz, who will celebrate his 20th birthday on Friday, is currently ranked number two in the world and is widely regarded as one of the sport's rising stars.
For Struff, however, the focus will be on his own game as he looks to make history by becoming the first lucky loser to reach a Masters final. His victory over Tsitsipas will give him confidence heading into the semi-finals, and he will be eager to build on his impressive performance against one of the world's best players.
The Madrid Open has been full of surprises this year, with several high-profile upsets and unexpected results. Struff's triumph over Tsitsipas is just the latest in a series of shocks, and fans will be eagerly anticipating the remaining matches to see if there are any more surprises in store.