Tiafoe upsets fifth seed Anderson, Latest Tennis News - The New Paper
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Tiafoe upsets fifth seed Anderson

Frances Tiafoe said he has learned how to be dangerous in crunch situations after scoring one of the biggest wins of his career in sending fifth seed Kevin Anderson packing from the Australian Open.

The American world No. 39 came through the second-round encounter 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

A third-round berth equals his best Grand Slam result and the reward is a clash with Italian veteran Andreas Seppi.

"It means the world to me," said Tiafoe, who will celebrate his 21st birthday on Sunday. "I lost to him (Anderson) three times last year and, when I was down a set and a break, it looked like it would happen again. I dug deep and went to a different place."

South African Anderson, a Wimbledon finalist last year, struggled with an elbow injury early in the clash and couldn't cope with Tiafoe's power and finesse.

Sixth seed Marin Cilic, who lost in the final to Federer last year, had no such dramas, beating American Mackenzie McDonald 7-5, 6-7 (9/11), 6-4, 6-4. He meets Fernando Verdasco next. - AFP

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