Tsitsipas Upsets Fils at US Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas upset Arthur Fils 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the 2026 US Open. The Greek veteran came back from a set and a break down against the No. 10 seed, then took over the match with bold serving and first-strike tennis.

Fils arrived in New York as the Cincinnati champion after winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title. That made him one of the most dangerous names in the bracket, but it also gave Tsitsipas a chance to flip the feel of his own season with one big win. He took it.

How Tsitsipas turned the match

Fils won the first set and broke in the second, putting Tsitsipas in immediate danger. Tsitsipas steadied himself, forced a tiebreak, and won it 7-3. The momentum shift was obvious. He raced through the third set 6-1 before closing the fourth 6-4.

The National counted 14 aces and 51 winners for Tsitsipas, along with 49 unforced errors. The aggressive line tells the story. He was willing to live with mistakes if it kept Fils under pressure, and the winner total eventually overwhelmed the younger seed.

A major win for Tsitsipas in New York

The official US Open recap called it the biggest win of Tsitsipas' career at this tournament. He entered the week with a 3-4 record in main-draw hard-court matches this summer, but he had found some form on clay by winning in Gstaad in July. Monday showed that confidence could travel.

"I am speechless, I don't know what to say," Tsitsipas said in his on-court interview, according to The National. He called it an amazing start to the tournament. Around him, a busy first round also sent Tommy Paul into round two and ended Djokovic's run in a five-set shocker.

Who does Tsitsipas play next?

Qualifier Lloyd Harris is next. A win there would put Tsitsipas into the third round and match his deepest previous US Open run, according to the tournament's official recap.

That is the opportunity created by the comeback. Tsitsipas did not just survive a difficult first-round draw. He knocked out the Cincinnati champion, recovered from a set and a break down, and played his way into a far friendlier second-round matchup.

The result also changes the early shape of the bracket. Fils entered as a newly crowned Masters champion and a threat to go deep. Tsitsipas removed him on day two, and did it after falling behind rather than catching him cold from the opening ball.