The body said no. Jannik Sinner will not participate in his first final in Monte-Carlo, suffering from discomfort in his right thigh in the last set. A physical breakdown, while the Italian was heading towards victory (4-2) before Stefanos Tsitsipas won in three sets (6-4, 3-6, 6-4). Already a winner in 2021 and 2022, the Greek will play his first Masters 1000 final this season.
Tsitsipas is back on the path to victory after a difficult start to the season – elimination in the 8th round at the Australian Open and Indian Wells. Defeats which took him out of the ATP top 10 for the first time in more than five years (12th). The Greek was able to rely on a solid serve to win the first set.
But Sinner stepped up the pace in the second set to show off his forehand power. The Italian seemed at ease until a first alert to his right thigh. He then led 4-2 before conceding a shutout to the Greek and calling on the physiotherapist. His pain seems to have appeared on a resumption of support after a harmless forehand.
A regular in the Principality
The game resumed, but Sinner had lost his aggressiveness. He made a series of unforced errors to allow Tsitsipas to get back to 4-4. A second alert, this time on the left thigh, definitely stopped him in his tracks. The world No. 12 won four games in a row and became the second player to defeat Sinner this season, after Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells in March.
Crowned against Andrey Rublev (2021) and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (2022), he could win a third title in the Principality on Sunday. A return to form at the best of times for the Greek, who is still in search of a coronation at Roland-Garros.
He will have to wait for the other semi-final between world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Norwegian Casper Ruud to find out his opponent. The match can be followed live with commentary on the L’Équipe website.
