Stefanos Tsitsipas

[Damian]

[Bombardiero]

[Kamileki]

[Damian]

Tsitsipas On Leading Race: 'I’m Fighting For It Every Week'

Spoiler:

The Greek will begin his run against Cilic
Stefanos Tsitsipas has plenty to be excited about this week at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where he made the semi-finals two years ago. Despite a third-round loss last week in Madrid, the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion still leads the FedEx ATP Race To Turin.

“That’s great news that I’m still there. I’m fighting for it every single week,” Tsitsipas said. “I didn’t have a very good week last week in Madrid, but so far it’s looking good. I’ve been very consistent, which obviously helps being in that situation. I’m looking forward to performing the same way, doing better and perform even better in the future.”


The Greek star is also looking forward to playing on grass and hard courts later in the season and maintaining his form throughout. The 22-year-old is keen to adapt well to every surface.

“I want to be a complete player,” Tsitsipas said. “That’s important for my psychological state, knowing that I can play on every surface.”

After winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and reaching the final of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, where he held championship point against Rafael Nadal before falling short, Tsitsipas lost in the third round of the Mutua Madrid Open. Norwegian Casper Ruud, who eventually made the semi-finals, stopped him there.

“I think you can take the good and the bad things from every situation, whether that would be [losing in] the first round or winning a tournament. You can always come into the next week with something better. For me personally, obviously my opponent played better and it wasn’t meant [to be] for me to be that day. I took that opportunity to come here earlier, prepare, acclimatise to the new conditions.”



The conditions in Rome are closer to those in Monte-Carlo than they are to Madrid, where altitude makes it quicker. Tsitsipas is simply focussing on the task at hand and what he’s dealing with at the Foro Italico, where he will begin his run against former World No. 3 Marin Cilic.

“Tennis is different and that’s what I’m expecting this week,” Tsitsipas said. “It’s a new tournament, you never know who you’ll have to face, how ready you have to be. Every tournament has something unique and different to offer. Again, just staying humble, working my way up and seeing if things are going to work again.”

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[Damian]

Djokovic, Tsitsipas & More Congratulate Serena On 1,000th Match

Spoiler:

The WTA legend is a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion
WTA legend Serena Williams is playing her 1,000th match on Wednesday at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia against Nadia Podoroska. ATP stars Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov, Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev sent the former World No. 1 a message to congratulate her on the incredible achievement.

Novak Djokovic
"Congratulations on your big milestone playing the 1,000th match in your career. Words cannot describe how much you’ve contributed to tennis in general, both the male and female sides. You’ve been an icon for this sport, thank you so much for everything you have done on and off the court and what you keep on doing. You inspire myself and many other players on both the men’s and women’s side. We are so excited to share the same era as you as well. Wishing you all the best champ, keep going and happy to still watch you on the court."


Alexander Zverev
"Congratulations on playing your 1,000th match, what an achievement! I think you’ve been on the top of the game for such a long time, you’re the greatest tennis player of all time. I have nothing but respect for you, you know that. But I actually can say we’re quite good friends, so it’s always fun hanging around you. We always have a good laugh. I hope we can still have you around for quite a long time."

Stefanos Tsitsipas
"Serena, this is exquisite. I would like to congratulate you on your incredible achievement in your career and hopefully you can go on and keep playing and reach 2,000 matches on the Tour. I’m your biggest supporter and I really hope you get to play with me mixed doubles one day. Why not?"


Grigor Dimitrov
"Serena, congratulations on your 1,000th match. [You are] one of my closest friends and always [are] there to support me through the tough times. But all I can say is that you’re a true inspiration to the sport and you have shown not only me, but everyone around what you are capable of. The achievements that you have reached and the achievements that you want to reach are truly amazing. Stay blessed and keep on playing this sport."

Daniil Medvedev
"Hi Serena, congrats on your 1,000th match. That’s a huge achievement, something unbelievable. Hopefully I can see you play [another] thousand on the Tour, even if it’s not easy, but I wish you this."

Andrey Rublev
"Hey Serena, what’s up? Congrats on your 1,000th match. This is amazing. The things you’ve achieved, it’s unreal. Good job. You know everything better than me!"

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[Damian]

[Damian]

Tsitsipas Cruises Past Cilic In Rome

Spoiler:

The Greek faces Berrettini next
Stefanos Tsitsipas passed an opening-round test against Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-2 to reach the fourth round of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

“Sometimes I need to adjust my game and Marin is someone I respect a lot,” Tsitsipas said on-court. “I knew he was going to come out here and play his best tennis.”

The Greek improved to 28-7 this season, which tied him back up with Andrey Rublev for most wins after Rublev beat Jan-Lennard Struff earlier on Wednesday. Though Tsitsipas lost in the third round in Madrid, the World No. 5 is filled with confidence after winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. He’s also a former semi-finalist in Rome (2019).

Cilic is 0-11 against Top 10 opponents dating back to his 2018 Australian Open win over Rafael Nadal. He’s now 8-8 on the season.

How To Watch

In a competitive first set, Tsitsipas pounced at 6-5 to break Cilic for the first time when it mattered the most. He had full control of the match from there with Cilic hitting 23 unforced errors to Tsitsipas’ 13.

“He made me move a lot,” Tsitsipas said. “It was quite tricky to adjust to that at the beginning, but towards the very end of the first set I stayed calm and I stayed resilient. I had to play deep on the returns and find solutions from the baseline rallies. Obviously, that worked well for me from 6-5.”


Tsitsipas next faces Matteo Berrettini, who beat John Millman 6-4, 6-2. The Italian will have the home-court advantage when fans return on Thursday. Tsitsipas feels right at home in Rome though, and enjoyed the scenery Pietrangeli stadium had to offer.

“[Pietrangeli] itself is very beautiful; it’s one of the best courts on tour,” Tsitsipas said. “I feel like the atmosphere here is great. We’re surrounded by trees in the city and it’s very, very quiet which is important for tennis. And honestly, I can’t wait for the fans to come and fill in the stadium.”

Berrettini continued his great serving form from his final run in Madrid. He faced zero break points, giving him freedom to go for more on return games. He broke the Aussie to start the second set and ran away with the match quickly from there.

Since his debut in 2017, the World No. 9 has improved with each appearance in Rome, reaching the second round in 2018, the third round in 2019, and the quarter-finals in 2020. He will have a tough challenge next in Tsitsipas, who beat him in their only meeting at the 2019 Australian Open.

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[Bombardiero]

[Damian]

[Damian]

Tsitsipas Takes Out Home Favourite Berrettini

Spoiler:

Greek to face Djokovic in quarter-finals
In front of passionate crowd on Grand Stand Arena, Stefanos Tsitsipas overcame Italian No. 1 Matteo Berrettini 7-6(3), 6-2 to reach the Internazionali BNL d'Italia quarter-finals.

The fifth seed won seven of his eight net points and capitalised on Berrettini’s low first-serve percentage in the second set (32%) to advance after one hour and 36 minutes. Tsitsipas has reached the quarter-finals at eight of his nine tournament appearances this season. The FedEx ATP Race To Turin leader is through to the last eight in Rome for the second time in four visits to the Foro Italico (2019 SF).

How To Watch

The World No. 5 will face five-time champion Novak Djokovic for a spot in the semi-finals. Djokovic needed just 70 minutes to charge past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-2, 6-1 in the opening match on Centre Court.

Tsitsipas owns a 2-4 ATP Head2Head record against the World No. 1. In the pair’s most recent meeting, Djokovic outlasted Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 4-6, 6-1 to reach last year’s Roland Garros final.


In a first set dominated by serve, Tsitsipas rallied from 1/3 down in the tie-break with six consecutive points. The Greek attacked Berrettini’s forehand and took advantage of consecutive volley errors to move a set from victory.

Tsitsipas piled the pressure on his opponent’s serve early in the second set. The 22-year-old created six break points across his opening two return games, and he broke through at 1-1 to increase his advantage. Tsitsipas closed the match with a second break and a love service hold to improve his ATP Head2Head record against the Madrid runner-up to 2-0.

Berrettini was attempting to reach his second straight quarter-final in his home city. The World No. 9 owns a 10-3 record on clay this season, which includes his title run at the Serbia Open.

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[Damian]

[Bombardiero]

Rzym21: 9. ćwierćfinał M-1000.

[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas d. [9] Mateo Berrettini 76(3) 62

[Damian]

[Bombardiero]

Tsitsipas Shining: Stefanos Tsitsipas has enjoyed a tremendous start to 2021, tied with Andrey Rublev for the most wins this season (29). The Greek star will try to quickly bounce back from the disappointment of losing an epic quarter-final against Novak Djokovic in Rome and get back on track in Lyon, where he is the second seed. Tsitsipas won his first Masters 1000 title in Monte-Carlo and he will try to add his second crown of the season this week. Making his tournament debut, the 22-year-old will first face former World No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or American Tommy Paul.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/geneva- ... ing-report

[Damian]

Tsitsipas: In Pursuit Of Perfection

Spoiler:

Greek star focuses on consistency to attain 2021 goals
Stefanos Tsitsipas is excited to be competing at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon this week and the World No. 5 hopes to test himself in his quest for a seventh ATP Tour title.

The Greek star leads the FedEx ATP Race To Turin for a place at the Nitto ATP Finals in November. “I don’t feel exhausted, and I wanted to come to Lyon to test myself this week," he said on Tuesday. "It’s another opportunity to show how far I can go and play more matches on clay.”

Tsitsipas, who lost to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in a rain-interrupted Internazionali BNL d'Italia quarter-final last week, has compiled a 29-8 match record this season, including his first ATP Masters 1000 crown at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (d. Rublev).

“I still feel far from being consistent, compared to other players,” said Tsitsipas, who will play American Tommy Paul or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the Lyon second round. “I have been quite consistent, but there is a fine gap that I can close. I am always trying to reach a level of perfection, which I have yet to reach yet.

“I am happy to stay in the lead in the [FedEx] ATP Race To Turin. I need to find a little more consistency this year. I have a lot of points and I feel I need to earn more in the second half of the year in order to reach the goals and expectations for the year. I know the second half of the year will be difficult.

“I definitely feel better physically than I did last year. I have developed routines and habits in order to improve my consistency and ensure that I am mentally there in every single match that I play.”

How To Watch

When asked about his form ahead of Roland Garros, which begins on 30 May, the 22-year-old said, “A lot of players have been playing great, but it may not translate into the French. I need to concentrate on the French, more than any other big event.

“I feel [that] I’m in a position I’ve never been in before, so it’s exciting. I want to try and replicate my form, but I know it’s two weeks of hell. It’s difficult, but I want to stay focused on my goal.”

Tsitsipas lost to Djokovic in last year’s Roland Garros semi-finals, but believes if he plays the way he did against the World No. 1 last week in Rome, then his chances of rising up the FedEx ATP Rankings will only improve.

“These are the challenges I need to take my game to the next level,” said Tsitsipas. “If I played the way I did against every single opponent, I don’t see a reason why I won’t improve my ranking.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tsitsip ... 21-preview

[Damian]

Tsitsipas Brothers Fall In Lyon Opener

Spoiler:

Top seeds Marach and Pavic beaten in Geneva
Greek brothers Petros Tsitsipas and Stefanos Tsitsipas battled hard on Wednesday but fell to Australians Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith 7-6(3), 6-3 in a busy day at the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon.

Ebden and Smith will next play second seeds Henri Kontinen and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who were 6-2, 7-6(4) victors over Andres Molteni and Frederik Nielsen.

Top-seeded Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who have an 18-7 record in tour-level finals, started their campaign with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-1 win over British duo Cameron Norrie and Jonny O'Mara. They will now challenge Artem Sitak and Joao Sousa, who edged past Marc Lopez and Fabrice Martin 6-4, 6-7(6), 11-9.

Elsewhere, fourth seeds Hugo Nys and Tim Puetz defeated Sander Arends and Divij Sharan 3-6, 6-2, 10-1 for a quarter-final against Lorenzo Musetti and Tommy Paul or Andre Goransson and Andrei Vasilevski.

How To Watch

At the Gonet Geneva Open, which was also affected by rain, Tomislav Brkic and Nikola Cacic knocked out top seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic 7-6(6), 6-2 for a last-eight clash against Simone Bolelli and Maximo Gonzalez, who overcame Australians Max Purcell and Luke Saville 7-6(3), 7-6(2).

Third seeds Raven Klaasen and Ben McLachlan defeated British pair Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot 6-3, 7-6(4). They now face Marin Cilic and Andrey Golubev, who came through 7-6(5), 6-3 against wild cards Arthur Cazaux and Hanwen Li.

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[Damian]

[Damian]

Tsitsipas Races Past Paul Into Lyon Quarter-Finals

Spoiler:

Greek becomes first player to reach 30 wins in 2021
Second seed Stefanos Tsitsipas wasted no time in getting back to his winning ways in his Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon debut, racing past Tommy Paul 6-1, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals.

The Greek has been one of the players to beat during the clay-court season since claiming his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (d. Rublev). Tsitsipas has now reached the quarter-finals or better at four of his past five events on this surface, and today’s victory gave him a Tour-leading 30 wins on the season.

You May Also Like: Tsitsipas: In Pursuit Of Perfection
"I [took] control of the match from early on, and after that I didn't let go," Tsitsipas said in his post-match press conference. "I had a few opportunities in the second set to go up a double break and I missed a shot that I felt like I shouldn't have missed. But [overall] I was playing good tennis today. I was able to move him around the court and find angles, press with my forehand. It wasn't my best day on serve, but I found solutions when things proved difficult."

Tsitsipas did not face a break point across two sets against the unseeded American. Paul, a former Roland Garros champion in the juniors, struggled to connect on his first serve – giving Tsitsipas plenty of opportunities to pounce on his opponent’s attackable second delivery.


The second seed regularly ran around his backhand and fired deep forehand returns, keeping the pressure on Paul by taking control of the rallies. Tsitsipas reeled off the last five games on the trot with a double break to claim the opening set, and started the second with a 2-1 lead.

Paul raised his level on serve in the second set, improving his first serve percentage from 38 to 71 per cent, but he was unable to make inroads on Tsitsipas’ serve. The Greek player served out the match to love, sealing the victory after an hour and 15 minutes.

How To Watch

In his ninth quarter-final of 2021, Tsitsipas will face Japanese lefty Yoshihito Nishioka next. Nishioka toppled fifth seed and home favourite Gael Monfils 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) earlier in the day.

“He is a player who is very fast, and I think that helps on clay,” Tsitsipas said. “He has clay-court tennis, so for sure I am going to take that match as an important one.

“I feel like I'm playing good tennis and I can play against anyone. For me, these matches are important, every single one of them. It’s going to be a battle against Yoshihito who is a lefty, on red clay which is my favourite surface.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tsitsip ... 1-thursday

[Kamileki]

[Damian]