Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur would have made for must-watch tennis two years ago. Both players still have their fans, of course, but neither has been in top form for a while. This is even truer of Tsitsipas, who was once a staple in the top 10, but a new fan of tennis might be surprised by that.
Still, the Greek player has been playing better, including winning a title the Gstaad Open recently. That was his first title in 2026, and only his second final in two years.
De Minaur is the ATP No. 6, but he has struggled to make deep runs in many events this year. He has been able to play at a sustained higher level than Tsitsipas for more than a year, however, and that bore out over the first-round match at the Citi Open, an event that the Australian won in 2025.
Alex de Minaur outlasts Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round of the 2026 Citi Open
The Aussie took the opening set 6-4, even though he kept giving free points to his opponent by having six double faults. Tsitsipas kept de Minaur around, however, by landing only 50 percent of his first serves and battling his longest issue: His backhand.
In set two, the Greek righted himself somewhat. He committed fewer errors and was blasting both wings of his groundstrokes at elite angles. Even the supremely fast de Minaur couldn't chase down all the shots, and Tsitsipas got the break that mattered and evened the match by taking set two 6-3.
In the final set, de Minaur was able to raise his level, while Tsitsipas remained the same. This was costly in the fourth game of the set as the Australian got the break fairly easily. He then consolidated the break with a love hold. He had all the momentum, and Tsitsipas was beginning to get frustrated, including slamming his racket on the court, breaking the head in half.
Stefanos Tsitsipas didn't completely fall apart, though. He continued to hold, but he couldn't put real pressure on the Australian's serve. De Minaur ultimately took the third set 6-3.
Alex de Minaur will next play the son of the great Lleyton Hewitt, Cruz, in the second round. That will make for must-watch tennis for fans, too. Cruz Hewitt could be a superstar in the making at the Citi Open in Washington, DC.
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