'Tennis insanity': Fans in disbelief over US Open shocker
The tennis world couldn't believe what they were witnessing after American qualifier Maxime Cressy saved five-match points and trailing two-sets to love to win his first round match.
The 24-year-old American saved four match points in battling back to defeat the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Pablo Carreno Busta 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7).
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"The fifth set he would not give me anything," Cressy said. "I just kept telling myself to focus on holding my serve efficiently."
Down 5-2 and 6-3 in the tie-breaker, Cressy went to the net and extended the match with strong volley work.
Carreno Busta, a 2017 and 2020 US Open semi-finalist, was furious after letting the match slip away has he smashed his racquet to the court after sending the final shot wide after three hours and 35 minutes.
Fans were seen clinging to the fence of the small outside court in an attempt to catch the thrilling action.
News of Cressy's unbelievable win quickly echoed around the US Open as fans reacted in shock to the rollercoaster five-set thriller.
Most labelled it the upset of the tournament so far.
In-Cress-ible!
🇺🇸 Maxime Cressy delivers the biggest upset of the 2021 #USOpen pic.twitter.com/3nysnRbO1U— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2021
Great atmosphere for Cressy's big win. #USOpen https://t.co/TyQrByUgdG
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 31, 2021
Upset of the tournament thus far by Cressy, and word traveled around the grounds quite quickly. It was standing room only on Day 2. https://t.co/Eljdf7dj3V pic.twitter.com/ZURXBWrJXS
— Gill Gross 🗽 (@Gill_Gross) August 31, 2021
Maxime Cressy, swashbuckling American qualifier, is deep into a 5th set with No. 9 seed Pablo Carreño Busta on Court 4. Would be a huge win but Carreño so fit and so good on hardcourts
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) August 31, 2021
Maxime Cressy saves four match points & comes back from 0-2 down in sets, then 3-6 down in the fifth-set tie-break to beat Pablo Carreno Busta 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(7).
AWFUL df from PCB on MP #4 followed by a wild fh UFE. He'll be replaying that one in his brain for a while.— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) August 31, 2021
Cressy oh my godness 😳👏🏻
— Kasia 🌿 (@letalnica) August 31, 2021
46 aces… saved four match points …Cressy upsets Carreno Busta #USOpen pic.twitter.com/W3wMBBYBLY
— Randy Walker (@TennisPublisher) August 31, 2021
Wow what a scene! Maxime Cressy 🇺🇸 takes down Carreno Busta 🇪🇸 in a 5th set breaker! #USOpen
— Rodney Roesler (@RottenKnee77) August 31, 2021
An unbelievable match from Cressy who fired 44 aces and came back from 2-5* down in TB, saving 4 match points (two with amazing volleys).
81 winners, only 35 unforced errors. Played very well in every section of the court, served huge and volleyed even better. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/3UPGq811ms— Serve and Volley (@servevolleyer) August 31, 2021
OK, Maxime Cressy with one of the most clutch wins you’re ever going to see in a 1st rd at the #USOpen. Wow!
— Ron Harris (@Journorati) August 31, 2021
And now THIS tiebreaker!!!!
THE AMERICAN CRESSY!!!
Tennis is insanity!!!#USOpen— JC- The Former World Champion ⭕️ (@JoshCohenRadio) August 31, 2021
Gladiatorial stuff on Court 4 as American qualifer & former UCLA star Maxime Cressy upsets No. 9 Pablo Carreño Busta 5-7, 4-6 6-1, 6-4 7-6 (7) after saving four match points in the fifth-set tiebreaker. Cressy played with cojones down the stretch: some great volleys. Huge win
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) August 31, 2021
Wow.
American qualifier Maxime Cressy comes back from two sets down and saves 4 (!) MPs in the 5th set tiebreak to beat 2017 & 2020 semifinalist (and Olympic medalist!) Pablo Carreño Busta 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(7) and reach the 2nd round at the #USOpen. pic.twitter.com/teb6pNm5RA— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 31, 2021
Maxime Cressy won three matches to qualify for the 2021 #USOpen.
Now the American overcomes a two sets to none deficit, saves four match points to defeat Pablo Carreno Busta in five 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7).
What. A. MATCH. #USOpen2021— Lukas Weese (@Weesesports) August 31, 2021
Maxime Cressy won three matches to qualify for the 2021 #USOpen.
Now the American overcomes a two sets to none deficit, saves four match points to defeat Pablo Carreno Busta in five 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7).
What. A. MATCH. #USOpen2021— Lukas Weese (@Weesesports) August 31, 2021
That was a complete bottle job by carreno busta
What a choke #USOpen— DANN🏴🏳️🌈 (@25dannnnnn) September 11, 2020
Maxime Cressy makes waves at US Open
Cressy said he just played each point one at a time when he was facing a straight sets defeat to the Spaniard.
"One point at a time. I just tell myself the same thing at that point in the match and today it came out my way," Cressy said. "I'm really happy things are starting to pay off."
World Number 151 Cressy made his tour-level debut at last year's US Open as a wildcard. He reached his first ATP quarter-final in July at Newport.
A crowd of about 1,500 on an outer court chanted his name and backed him to the finish.
"That lifted me big time. Really helped me out," Cressy said. "It would have been really difficult without them."
Next for Cressy is a second-round match against Georgia's 39th-ranked Nikoloz Basilashvili.
with AAP
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