Stefanos Tsitsipas becomes third man born after 1995 to record 250 match wins with United Cup victory

Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked off his 2023 season in style by posting an impressive 250th career match win, becoming just the third man to be born after 1995 to have done so.

The Greek, who ousted Grigor Dimitrov in a nailbiter at the Perth Arena on Thursday (December 29), joins fellow Next Gen stars Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev — who have totaled 267 and 339 match wins on the ATP tour, respectively.

For Tsitsipas, it was the perfect start to the new season. The 25-year-old now has a 250-119 win-loss record — amounting to a near 68% career win percentage — to boast of. While his figure might be just shy of both Medvedev and Zverev's 69%-plus range, it still remains a cut above the vast majority of his generation.

The win over Dimitrov not only saw the Greek not only complete a solid career milestone but also helped his side take a 2-0 lead over Bulgaria at the United Cup.

Tsitsipas turned in a fine serving performance to edge out his crafty opponent, winning a third-set tiebreaker 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4). The Greek used his serve out wide with an explosive forehand to great effect, fending off a couple of crucial breakpoints in the eighth game of the decider.

The match saw some explosive hitting from both ends, with Dimitrov taking on an aggressive approach right off the bat. He got off to a dream start by taking a decisive break in the tenth game to take the opening set. Tsitsipas, however, came back strong to win the second 6-2.

The final set saw some great serving from both sides. It boiled down to just a single Dimitrov forehand sailing long in the tiebreaker, sealing the Bulgarian's fate.

Stefanos Tsitsipas to take on David Goffin at the United Cup next

Stefanos Tsitsipas in action on Day 1 of the 2023 United Cup.

Stefanos Tsitsipas will next take on a familiar foe in the form of World No. 53 David Goffin as the Greek side squares off against Belgium in the final Group A tie.

The two have met on the Tour on six prior occasions, with the Greek leading their current head-to-head record 4-2. Tsitsipas has won the duo's last two meetings, both of which were tight affairs. The two, however, have not played against each other since 2019.

Greece have already put themselves in a comfortable position in Group A with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Despina Papamichail's wins on Day 1. They lead Bulgaria 2-0 — with their top-ranked women's singles player Maria Sakkari yet to take the court.