MONTE-CARLO/STARNBERG, April 17, 2021 (Press Release)
There has been a brisk of fresh air this week at the Monte-Carlo Country club. The single finals on Sunday will see a new clash between two young guns, World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas, 22 years old, and World No. 8, Andrey Rublev, 23 years old.
In the first semi-final of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Saturday, Tsitsipas stopped Daniel Evans’s dream journey in Monaco. Against the Greek, the Briton proved lack of energy after his back to back great but mentally draining wins over World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Belgium’s David Goffin. Tsitsipas won 6-2, 6-1 in 69 minutes for a spot in his third ATP Masters 1000 title match, the first one at the Monte-Carlo Bay, which makes the young Greek ecstatic.
ST3FANOS! @steftsitsipas reaches his 3rd Masters 1000 final in Monte Carlo, defeating Evans 6-2 6-1 👏#RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/cY8MyjFrLR
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 17, 2021
“There are a lot of great things that happened in Monaco, talking about my family. I really want to keep this tradition going. We’ll see tomorrow. It’s important for me to be in the final here in Monaco. I’m expecting a difficult opponent in the final. Obviously it is important to elevate my game and try and push it to the limits. I really, really want to be in that position where I come close to winning big tournaments like this, like the Rolex Masters here in Monte-Carlo. It’s a dream of mine to be playing in the final, honestly”, said Tsitsipas during his press conference.
In the second semi-final, Rublev booked a place in a first ATP Masters 1000 final as he stopped Casper Ruud of Norway 6-3, 7-5. There was no let down for the sixth-seeded Russian, a day on from his victory over 11-time former champion Rafael Nadal. Rublev improved to an ATP Tour-best 24-4 match record on the season by hitting 21 winners past Ruud for victory in 80 minutes at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
IRON MAN 💪
After beating Nadal, @AndreyRublev97 is into his first-ever Masters 1000 final after defeating Ruud 6-3 7-5! #RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/XGiUIwvkMK
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 17, 2021
The 23-year-old will now look to record his second straight win over fourth seed Tsitsipas in Sunday’s final. Rublev beat the 22-year-old Greek 6-3, 7-6(2) last month en route to his title in Rotterdam. Their ATP head to head series is tied at 3-3, with two clay-court meetings (1-1) in 2020 at Roland Garros and the Hamburg European Open.
“Stefanos is definitely one of the top guys I play the most. We play him already this year, we play so many matches last year”, said Rublev.
“Of course, I’m feeling great and happy to play one more final, especially my first ATP Masters final. It’s going to be tough match. Like I said, we had already many battles with each other last year. Some of them he won, some of them I won. All of them were super tough three-set matches, most of them. Not much to say. I hope we will show great tennis and people will enjoy.”
Doubles final set
In doubles, Croatians Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic reached their sixth final in eight events this year at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters after defeating Marcel Granollers of Spain and Argentine Horacio Zeballos 3-6, 7-5, 10-4 in the opening match of the day on Court Rainier III. The Croatian pair will face Daniel Evans and Neal Skupski in the finals.
Hours after bowing out in singles to Tsitsipas, Evans was back on court with Skupski to continue his Monte-Carlo run in doubles. The pair needed an hour and 36 minutes to defeat top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah of Colombia 7-6(0), 2-6, 10-4.
With British players competing in singles and doubles semifinals today, the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters paid tribute to Prince Philip on this day of mourning by having the Union Jack fly at half-mast.
