Montecarlo
Tsitsipas buries the wall of Sinner at Montecarlo
The Greek will seek his third ATP Masters 1000 in the Principality
April 13, 2024
By ATPTour.com/es Staff
If Stefanos Tsitsipas has made a pact with victory, the agreement remains in force at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. The Greek managed to climb this Friday to his third final of the Monegasque ATP Masters 1000 after a supreme effort, putting up one of the most electric matches of the season. Faced with a huge clay court challenge, with the intense Mediterranean sun as an added difficulty, the Greek showed why he continues to be a top candidate for big events.
The twelfth seed defeated the Italian Jannik Sinner, resisting 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 with a manual game on clay. Tsitsipas rolled up his sleeves to right the score with patience, the capacity for suffering and an infinite faith in his possibilities, turning a persevering version of the Italian into an insufficient argument to reach the grand final. In a season marked by the dominance of the Italian, Stefanos dared to dream of an alternative script.
“I have been able to play tennis at the highest level. Jannik has been an extremely difficult opponent, as we have seen throughout the year. He is very consistent and today I could see it with his game,” said Tsitsipas. “He is one of the toughest rivals I have faced and it is not easy to find solutions. I am proud of it. He gave me a very difficult match and the way I overcame it is excellent.”
The intense heat on Saturday provided an ideal canvas for the Greek’s game, capable of bending the ball at will and shooting furiously from the back of the court. The Italian’s leg speed was an ideal complement, creating a match of permanent attack between two players focused on finishing. In that rhythm Tsitsipas caught an impeccable first set, where he did not concede a single break option to his opponent.
With confidence through the roof after a dream season, Sinner began to gain ground in Monte Carlo. The Italian, far from the siege of other days, engaged in a resistance match. Jannik canceled out all six break points faced in the second set, testing Tsitsipas’ tough thinking. His backhand crossed the court with unusual violence, ignoring fear of danger as a recipe for equalizing the match.
In a clash that lasted almost three hours, dominance was never guaranteed on one side of the net. The demand of the battle took its toll on Sinner’s body, burdened like few others with competition in the 2024 season. The Italian, who had tilted the third set taking advantage of the inertia of the match, needed the attention of the physiotherapist at 4-3 in the third sleeve, seeking relief in legs that weighed like lead. This medical assistance did not serve to alleviate the limitations of the sky bluewhose efforts did not prevent him from delivering the last three games of the match.
The stands of Court Rainier III were a true reflection of the spirit generated by Jannik on the ATP Tour circuit. A multitude of Italian flags and chants surrounded the duel on clay, creating a favorable atmosphere for the No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings. In perfect communion with the match script, Jannik’s reaction was to light a festive cauldron with the sea as a backdrop. One of those postcards that San Candido will take a long time to forget.
The Principality leaves a test of play in the hands of Tsitsipas. The Greek, who has gone two seasons without touching a cup on clay, will have the opportunity to mark territory on a surface that he dominates like few others in the locker room. Tsitsipas will seek the Monte Carlo title against the winner of the duel between the Serbian Novak Djokovic and the Norwegian Casper Ruud, protagonists in the last Roland Garros final. A test of the level on clay that Sunday’s match will require.
“It will help me to have a victory like this under my belt. Being able to win a match like this with this level of tennis gives me great satisfaction,” said Tsitsipas. “When you put in so much work every day, these are the kind of games you want.”
Sinner leaves the Principality after suffering his second defeat of the 2024 season. The Italian, who had only lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Indian Wells semifinals upon his arrival in Monte Carlo, has a firm record of 25-2 this season. With an unmissable clay tour ahead, Jannik retains No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings with a margin of just 105 points ahead of the Murcian.
Did you know…?
Stefanos Tsitsipas aims to become the fourth active player with at least three ATP Masters 1000 titles on clay. The Greek, who has two Monte Carlo crowns in his record, can follow in the footsteps of figures such as Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.
Source: https://www.atptour.com/es/news/montecarlo-2024-semifinal-tsitsipas-sinner
