Stefanos Tsitsipas wanted to keep the secrets of his late resurgence to himself after he finally saw off Jannik Sinner in five sets in the Australian Open fourth round.
The number three seed looked to be easing to victory when he claimed the first two sets, but Sinner fought back to force a decider.
Tsitsipas managed to rediscover his earlier form though to finally seal a 6-4 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-3 victory and book his place in the quarter-finals.
The Greek is the youngest player to reach three consecutive quarter-finals at the Australian Open since Novak Djokovic (from 2008 to 2010).
"It was all about getting myself relaxed and ready for the big battle in the fifth set," he explained at a press conference. "Of course, things weren't going my way after being two sets to love up. It seemed like the momentum switched dramatically, to me at least. There was a big gap that I couldn't fill in.
"But I made a few technical adjustments in the fifth, gave myself an opportunity to play a bit more loose. That really helped me serve better. I think I kept on moving. I kept on being active to be on these returns that I couldn't get in the previous sets."
Tsitsipas struggled on his own serve in particular, facing 26 break points in all, but his resilience saw him save 22 of them, and his dramatic improvement in the deciding set got him over the line when it appeared certain the Italian would become only the second player ever to come from two sets down to beat Tsitsipas at a grand slam (after Djokovic in the 2021 French Open final).
"There were some things, for sure, that I can look back to now and say that was not the best thing to do," the 24-year-old added. "I think it's also important to keep it to myself.
"We have certain things that we want to keep to ourselves and get back and improve. Not everything has to be public. Not everything has to be exposed and said.
"But it's a feeling. It's something that showed something different earlier in the match. And for some reason I decided not to follow or I give myself an idea that I can do things more extreme.
"That didn't seem to work at all. But the most important thing, I did fight. When I came to the most important part of the match, I regrouped and did it the way I did it in the first two sets."
Tsitsipas will face Czech 21-year-old Jiri Lehecka in the last eight.
Edwards salutes 'special club' Luton after relegation confirmed
Rob Edwards paid tribute to "special club" Luton Town after the Hatters' relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on the final day.
Luton's brief but eventful stint in the top flight came to an end following a 4-2 defeat by Fulham at Kenilworth Road, with Edwards' side finishing 18th and six points adrift of 17th-place Nottingham Forest.
Last-day survival was always going to be a big ask for the Hatters, who needed a victory and an ambitious 12-goal swing to stand any chance of usurping Forest.
Luton have gained many new admirers with their tally of 52 goals the second-most by a side during a 20-team Premier League season in which they were relegated - after Blackpool's 55 in 2010-11.
However, a leaky defence proved to be their undoing as they conceded 85 times - their highest tally in a top-flight campaign.
Nevertheless, Edwards saluted the club's supporters, and believes his side have a solid foundation to build on next season in their quest for an immediate return from the Championship.
"We're a special club, we've got unique support. We've had that all season long," he told Match of the Day. "Everyone that's travelled has shown their best. We've given our best this year, and ultimately we've just come up short.
"If one game could almost tell a season's story, that would be today - full of endeavour, some really good quality at times as well, but a little bit too fragile.
"We've scored a lot of goals this year. We've been good to watch, we've been involved in loads of great games, but we've conceded too many. That balance is something that we've got to try to address, and we know where we need to keep improving.
"We have changed and evolved so much. There is a lot of good stuff we can take to attack the Championship next season. We work hard, we give absolutely everything. We just have to be us, go and be Luton."
'Closer to leaving than staying' – Guardiola unsure on Man City future after title glory
Pep Guardiola says there is a greater chance of him leaving Manchester City than staying, despite the Spaniard wanting to continue in charge after Sunday's Premier League title triumph.
City manager Guardiola offered a cryptic description over his future after his side lifted their fourth successive top-flight trophy following the 3-1 victory over West Ham at Etihad Stadium.
That success marked Guardiola's sixth Premier League title, with only Alex Ferguson (13) managing more in the competition's history, though speculation persists over his future.
When pressed on his plans by Sky Sports after the title celebrations, Guardiola said: "The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying.
"We have talked with the club – my feeling is that I want to stay now. I will stay next season and during the season we will talk, but eight or nine years – we will see."
City ended the season after going 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions (W29 D6), the longest run ever by a Premier League team, as they broke further records with this triumph.
Guardiola's side are the first team in English top-flight history to win the title in four consecutive seasons, having won the league in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Yet the former Barcelona boss says credit must be shared for City's title-winning heroics.
"A lot of work, I'm not saying I'm a bad manager but I have incredible support from the club," he added.
"We have this work ethic, everyone does their job and every department is so important. This is the truth and the reality."
City once again pipped Arsenal, whose final-day victory over Everton proved meaningless, to the title – just as they did last season in a battle with Mikel Arteta's side.
Guardiola warned Arsenal are a side on an upward trajectory, though, as Arteta continues to excite with his youthful Gunners.
"For Arsenal to push us to another level – before it was Liverpool – and the last two seasons it's been Arsenal," Guardiola continued.
"This one has been incredible. We get the message, we know they will be there for many years.
"They have a young manager with big talent – they sent us a message that you have to be careful for the next few years.
"When I moved here if someone had said I would win six leagues in seven seasons I would say you're insane – no way.
"All these players for Manchester United and Liverpool and Chelsea, all these teams. Now is our period, we are part of that."
Havertz: Arsenal deserved more than finishing second
Kai Havertz believes Arsenal deserve more after they were pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City.
Arsenal knew they needed to beat Everton in the final game of the season and hope City slipped up at home to West Ham, but though Havertz netted an 89th-minute winner to see off the Toffees 2-1, Pep Guardiola's men ran out 3-1 victors over the Hammers.
City claim a fourth straight Premier League title, while Arsenal finish second again having also finished runners-up last season.
Havertz was left disappointed after the game, believing Arsenal's efforts throughout the campaign warranted a first Premier League crown in 20 years.
Havertz told TNT Sports "What can I say? I feel sorry for all the Arsenal fans. We gave our best but it wasn't enough.
"Maybe in two or three months we can say it was a good fight. Right now, I feel like we deserve more. It wasn't enough in the end but we go again next year."
Havertz's goal against Everton was his 13th of the league campaign, with no German scoring more in a 20-team Premier League season.
After a tough start to life in an Arsenal shirt since joining from Chelsea, Havertz has enjoyed a strong end to the campaign.
Havertz was proud of his and his team-mates' efforts, saying: "We showed great character again, they [Everton] didn't make it easy for us. They took time with every throw and every ball. In my opinion it's sometimes not fair in football but we have to accept that football is hard.
"Hopefully we can go again next year and give Arsenal fans what they need and what they're all here for."
When asked if he had a message for Gunners fans, Havertz stated: "Right now, I can't even think. It's just so frustrating. It's tough.
"I can tell them next year that we're going to be an even better team and we're going to give everything again. That's all I can say."
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