Tsitsipas, Ruud Pull Off A Pair Of Masterful Semifinal Upsets At Monte-Carlo

Stefanos Tsitsipas, Monte Carlo
Stefanos Tsitsipas (photo: ATP Tour video)

MONTE-CARLO/WASHINGTON, April 13, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

Jannik Sinner came into his Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semifinal match against Stefanos Tsitsipas Saturday afternoon on Court Rainier III riding high on a nine-match winning streak, while leading the ATP Tour in wins (25) and titles (three) this season.

On Friday, the World No. 2 from Italy became the only player to reach the semifinals at all three ATP Masters 1000 events this season. Now, in seeking his fifth ATP Masters 1000 final – and first on clay – against the No. 12 seed Tsitsipas of Greece, in their ninth meeting, Sinner put his 26-match winning streak against players ranked outside the Top 10 on the line.

As it happened, Sinner lost to Tsitsipas, twice a Monte-Carlo Masters champion (2021-22), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, in two hours and 40 minutes to move the 25-year-old Greek star to within one victory of winning his third crown in the Principality. He struck 27 winners (including seven aces), converted three of 15 break points and outpointed his opponent 94-92.

Tsitsipas improved to 6-3 lifetime against Sinner and broke a two-match losing streak to the South Tyrolean. He rallied from down 2-4 in the decisive set to hand Sinner (25-2) just his second loss of the season.

“It was tennis at its highest level that I have been able to play. Jannik was an extremely difficult opponent and it can be seen throughout the year so far,” Tsitsipas said after winning his 16th match of the season and fifth of the week. “He has been very consistent and I could see that throughout today with his game.

“He is one of the toughest opponents I have faced so far and to find ways when there weren’t that many, I am proud of that. He gave me a very difficult game and [the] way I overcame it is true excellence.”

Now, the 25-year-old Tsitsipas is safely through to his seventh career ATP Masters 1000 title following wins this week against Laslo Djere, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Alexander Zverev, Karen Khachanov and Sinner.

“It helps a lot knowing I have a win like this under my belt. Having a win like this and getting to the levels of tennis again brings a lot of satisfaction to me,” Tsitsipas said. “When there is a lot of work put in each day, these are the type of matches you are aiming for.”

Top seed Djokovic bounced by Ruud

Meanwhile, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic returned to the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semifinals for the first time since winning the 2015 Monte-Carlo title. The Serbian, who on Sunday became the oldest No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history, did not lose a set en route to advancing to his 77th ATP Masters 1000 semifinal, setting a new record for most semifinals in series history.

Then, the unpredictable happened. Djokovic proceeded to not only lose a set against No. 8 seed Casper Ruud, he lost to the World No. 10 from Norway, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, in two hours and 17 minutes.

The victory was Ruud’s biggest win of his career by PIF ATP Ranking and it advanced him to his second ATP Masters 1000 final and first since 2022.

Ruud had never won a set from Djokovic in their five previous meetings until Saturday. Now, he’s through to his third final of the season following a pair of title losses at Los Cabos and Acapulco, both on hard courts.

“I am super happy,” Ruud said following his triumph against Djokovic, which improved his 2024 record to 24-6 and his career mark at Monte-Carlo to 10-4. “This is a day I will remember for a long time. Beating a World No. 1 is something I have never done and beating Novak is something I have never done. I am very, very happy. I am a little bit in a state of shock right now.

“I was up in the third and he came back, typical how good these guys are under pressure. And I was thinking please don’t let this slip away and 0-40 in the last game, it is not done. When he missed the first serve [at 30-40], he saved so many break points in crazy ways, with huge second serves. I prayed one time, let it be a double fault and something above listened and of course it was unfortunate to end the match with a double fault but for me it was nice to see that ball sail long.”

Ruud struck 23 winners and converted four of five break points against Djokovic, who struggled throughout to find his consistency. The 25-year-old Norwegian, who was 0-11 against Top Three players before Saturday, is the first from his country to defeat a World No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history since they began in 1973.

Djokovic was attempting to attain his third sweep of all nine ATP Masters 1000 titles. Instead, with the loss, his record on the 2024 season drops to 11-4, and he moves on to Madrid having not won a tournament thus far in 2024.

Around the Rolex Monte-Carlos Masters

Unseeded Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen of Belgium advanced to the Rolex Monte-Carlos Masters doubles final by defeating Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina, 7-5, 6-4, in an hour and 39 minutes Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday, the Belgian duo will face unseeded  Marcelo Melo of Brazil and Alexander Zverev of Germany, who beat Marcelo Arevalo-Gonzalez of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 10-7, in one hour and 55 minutes.

By the numbers

Following his loss to World No. 10 Casper Ruud, Novak Djokovic is 257-114 versus Top 10 players, which is the record for most Top 10 wins in PIF ATP Rankings history.

“Quotable …”

“There is always one more match in tennis. Tomorrow is going to be a special day, playing a final here in Monte-Carlo. It is a great result but I have been chasing a big title for a few years now and tomorrow I will have another shot at it. I am going to give it my all. Stef is playing well. He is a great player on clay and on other surfaces as well, but I guess clay is maybe where he has had the most success and especially this tournament. So it is going to be another tough task, but I am up for it.”

— Casper Ruud, during his on-court interview following his upset of World No. 1 and top seed Novak Djokovic.

 

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