The American Taylor Fritz ended the Greek’s ten-game unbeaten streak Stefanos Tsitsipas in Montecarlowinner of the tournament in the last two editions, winning by 6-2 y 6-4 and, with it, get into the semifinals where they will face the Russian Andrey Rublev, who hours before beat German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 7-6 (5), who came from qualifying.
Tsitsipas (No. 3 ATP and second favorite of the tournament) had not lost in Monte Carlo since the round of 32 of 2019, when he lost to Daniil Medvedev. Since then, ten matches and two Monegasque tournaments to his credit.
His ‘executioner’ was Fritz (n.10 ATP), who improves his mark in Monte Carlo, where the most he had reached was the quarterfinals of 2022. It is also the second victory of the American over the Greek, after having imposed on the first occasion of the four in which they had previously met.
A victory, this time in the Masters 1000 of the Principality, which did not admit discussion, since Fritz was much superior in all aspects over an apathetic and imprecise rival. And it is that from the start he left with a resounding 4-0, after two service breaks in the first and third games.
It was enough for Fritz to keep his serve, also with two blank games, to win the first set, in just half an hour. The second was more even, but always controlled by the North American.
He went on serve until the seventh game, when Fritz broke Tsitsipas’ serve. The Greek reacted and established equality (4-4) immediately, but it was the last thing he did. The next two games were for the American and, in addition, in an easy way, since he only left his rival one point.
In the semifinals against Fritz, winner this year in the United Cup and Delray Beach, Rublev awaits, who had previously got rid of the German Jan-Lebbard Struff, 6-1, 7-6 (5).
Revenge, a dish that is served… Fritz
Fritz’s unexpected victory over Tsitsipas, due to the background but especially due to the forcefulness of the score, gave way to another curious episode, with the television cameras and the post-match dedication as necessary accomplices.
Consolidated as a tradition that occurs after each victory, the tennis players lend themselves to the game, take a drink and write something for the viewers who follow the broadcast from their homes. Tsitsipas had said something and 24 hours later it was Fritz who was able to take revenge.
In the qualifying phase, round of 16, the Greek knocked out Chilean Nicolás Jarry and then delivered a spicy comment about the clay courts of the United States: “Clay in the United States is like a unicorn on a skateboard.” . In case it is necessary to explain the mockery: he implied that it does not exist.
His curious affirmation had a lot of tribune. It is that it was a nod to the European tour of brick dust, which includes Roland Garros in the star plane. But he did it by hitting the ATP in Houston without anesthesia, the only important tournament played on that surface in the United States and it was held last week, crowning the American champion Frances Tiafoe (he won the final against the Argentine Tomás Etcheverry).
Tsitsipas’ chicane did not go down well on the other side of the Atlantic. After noting what the Greek did in Monte Carlo, the event’s Twitter account expressed: “We have questions.”
But it was another American, Taylor Fritz, who took up arms and finished off the rogue Tsitsipas. After beating him in Monte Carlo and getting into the semis, he took the piss and pointed out: “United States and brick dust ???”.
The victory was for Fritz, a tennis player from the United States and on clay. It was his way of responding to Tsitsipas, who had been undefeated in the tournament for 10 games, with two titles in his bag and with the support of the local public.
Rune crushed Medvedev and goes against Sinner
The Danish Holger Rune entered the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 for the first time by beating the Russian Daniil Medvedev, third seed, 6-3, 6-4.
In his third presence in the first Masters 1,000 clay of the course, the 19-year-old Dane left Medvedev out of the competition, who lowered his performance on clay but had a great chance to win the tournament after Novak’s eliminations Djokovic, on Thursday, and the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, current champion, against Fritz this Friday.
Rune, who took 78 minutes to get rid of the Russian, is aiming for his first title of the season and the second of his career on clay after Munich. The other two successes in his career, also in 2022, were at the Masters 1000 in Paris and in Stockholm, on hard courts, as well as the finals in Basel and Sofia.
Holger Rune, who in his two previous appearances in Monte Carlo had not made it past the second round and who had never met Medvedev before, will play the semifinal against the winner, the Italian Jannik Sinner, who easily got rid of his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic’s executioner, for a double 6-2.
Source: EFE
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