'Pathetic': US Open star slammed over 'unsportsmanlike' act

Stefanos Tsitsipas has left the tennis world fuming for the second time in as many matches, after another curiously timed toilet break in his US Open second round win.

The Greek third seed sparked angry backlash in his opening round win against Andy Murray after a lengthy bathroom break at a crucial moment in his five set win over the Brit.

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Murray unloaded on Tsitsipas after the match, claiming that he had "lost respect" for the Greek, after accusing him of gamesmanship.

The three-time major winner was furious when Tsitsipas took a break that ran close to eight minutes, which he felt disrupted his game and swayed the outcome.

"Fact of the day. It takes Stefanos Tsitsipas twice as long to go the bathroom as it takes Jeff Bezos to fly into space. Interesting," the 34-year-old Scot tweeted afterwards.

Murray had called his opponent's bathroom breaks "nonsense", saying that he had been warned by his team about such tactics before the match.

During the fifth set, where Murray was broken in the first game, the former world number one could be heard shouting "it is cheating" towards his box.

World No.3 Tsitsipas took the seven minute-plus break before the decisive fifth set.

He also took another bathroom break before the third set and a medical timeout in the run-up to the fourth.

Tsitsipas pointed out after the match that he had not broken any rules, and in Thursday's second round match against Adrian Mannarino the issue reared its ugly head again.

The third seed had taken a comfortable two-set lead, before Mannarino fought back to take the third set in a tiebreak.

Cue the Tsitsipas toilet break.

Despite the rain lashing Arthur Ashe Stadium and causing chaos around New York, the boos could still be heard as Tsitsipas finally made his way back onto court after an eight-minute delay.

Supporters could be heard loudly jeering the Greek before the fourth set started, acutely aware of the drama from the Murray match just 48 hours earlier.

The backlash was just as fierce on social media, where tennis fans accused Tsitsipas of bad sportsmanship and of deliberately trying to disrupt his opponent's momentum.

Stefanos Tsitsipas prevails after bathroom break

French veteran Mannarino even asked for some balls to be brought out so that he could stay loose before the fourth set.

However, Mannarino's fight back proved futile as Tsitsipas found another gear after the lengthy delay - closing out the match without dropping another game as he booked his spot in the third round.

"I think taking a break and going to change - I was completely wet - it was very important for me to do that, to feel refreshed, the same like before," Tsitsipas said after the win.

"I was able to deliver good tennis in the fourth set. I stayed calm and resilient in every single point.

"That was something that gave me the fourth set and this match."

Tsitsipas hit a career-best 27 aces in the 6-3 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-0 win, with the roof closed at Arthur Ashe Stadium because of heavy rain from remnants of Hurricane Ida.

The Greek said he did not realise he had exceeded his previous career high of 22 aces in a match.

"I just felt very loose on my serve. My ball toss was very consistent," the 23-year-old said.

"I didn't really think about it, that it was that many."

Tsitsipas will face 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain for a spot in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time.

with AAP

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