By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, Might 20, 2026
Photograph credit score: TennisTV Display Shot
The fortunate loser was a warrior winner to make Hamburg historical past right now.
Dealing with a 1-4 third-set deficit, Aleksandar Kovacevic reeled off the ultimate 5 video games in a row stunning top-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to roar into the Hamburg Open quarterfinals.
Fortunate loser Kovacevic, who honed his abilities on the Har-Tru courts of Central Park in New York Metropolis, made historical past as the primary American man to achieve the Hamburg quarterfinals since Corridor of Famers Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras in 1995.
It’s the most important win, by rating, of Kovacevic’s profession.
The world No. 94 mentioned he’s swinging extra freely given his second likelihood within the draw.
“While you get a second likelihood like this, there’s a little bit of a sense of, ‘There may be nothing to lose out right here’,” Kovacevic mentioned. “You’re perhaps a tad extra relaxed. I’m a little bit of a pessimist in life, so for me to return again as a fortunate loser, I used to be not tremendous enthusiastic about it.
“Everybody was telling me, ‘It’s important to be glad about your second likelihood. It’s important to use it.’ It looks like I is likely to be utilizing it this week.”
The 27-year-old New York native, who took a set off Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells in March, saved three of 5 break factors and sparked his third-set comeback on the energy of sturdy serve and first-strike forehands. Kovacevic gained eight of his final 10 factors performed on serve.
Kovacevic will face both eighth-seeded compatriot Frances Tiafoe or Argentinean Camilo Ugo Carabelli for a semifinal spot.
In Match, Tiafoe denied two match factors heading off Kovacevic 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7) in an Acapulco thriller. Tiafoe went on to achieve the Acapulco last.
