Stefanos Tsitsipas suffers setback during United Cup

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The world number six was set to face Nicolas Jarry but sat it out

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas (R) sits on the team bench after pulling out of singles match at the United Cup. - AFP

Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is one of the favourites for this month’s Australian Open, struggled with a lower back problem Tuesday, which forced the Greek to withdraw his opening singles match of the season at the United Cup as Greece lost to 2-1 to Chile.

The world number six was set to face Nicolas Jarry, but sat it out, leaving teammate Stefanos Sakellaridis to replace him in the Group B clash in Sydney.

Sakellaridis, just 19 years old and ranked 416, put up a great fight against the 19th-ranked Jarry but suffered a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 defeat.

Maria Sakkari had earlier registered a solid 6-0, 6-1 win over Daniela Seguel.

Tsitsipas returned for the important mixed doubles decider with Sakkari, but they went down 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 10-6 to Seguel and Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera.

"It's amazing, amazing," Barrios Vera said. "It's our second match as a team, so we're super happy."

Tsitsipas, who qualified for the Australian Open final last year but suffered defeat at the hands of Novak Djokovic, was clearly struggling on serve late in the match, grimacing as he held his back.

While watching Sakkari's singles, he told the host broadcaster "there are a few chances I might not play and there are a few chances that I might" against Chile.

"I'm kinda 50-50 so far. We'll wait and see."

A six-time Grand slam semi-finalist, Tsitsipas has 10 ATP Tour titles to his name, but is still searching for a first major win.

Sakellaridis played the match of his life against Jarry, saving 10 of 12 break points. But his opponent's experience paid off in the end.

"It was an incredible match, very tough for me," said Jarry. "Stefanos played amazing. I think he was grinding a lot, so it was a very tough opponent and I'm happy to be able to be there mentally."

Sakkari, the highest-ranked Greek woman in history, took just 68 minutes to crush Seguel, who was facing a top-20 player for the first time in her career.

She did not face a break point until the last game of the match, and successfully erased the chance.

World number one Djokovic is on court later Tuesday in Perth against the Czech Republic's Jiri Lehecka. Serbia will move into a quarter-final showdown with Australia should they win.

— Additional input from AFP

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