Stefanos Tsitsipas Eliminated in Japan Open First Round

Stefanos Tsitsipas faced a disappointing exit in the first round of the Japan Open, losing to American Alex Michelsen with a score of 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. This follows his early exit at the US Open last month, where he expressed feelings of 'long-term burnout' and noted his decline in performance after ending his coaching relationship with his father. Tsitsipas, once a top contender, has now slipped out of the ATP top 10 and has only secured two titles in the past two seasons. Meanwhile, fellow American Ben Shelton advanced in the tournament, defeating Reilly Opelka, and Jack Draper also progressed by beating Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci. The current struggles of Tsitsipas raise questions about his future in the sport as he continues to grapple with performance issues.