ATP Finals London: Stefanos Tsitsipas after victory over Roger Federer in the final
Stefanos Tsitsipas is the first player to finish the final of the ATP Finals 2019. The Greek defeated Roger Federer after a game time of 96 minutes with 6: 3 and 6: 4 and meets on Sunday either Dominic Thiem or Alexander Zverev.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Nov 16, 2019, 05:17 pm
By Jens Huiber from London
17 years of life experience lie between Federer and Tsitsipas, this gap is engraved forever. When the Swiss debuted at the ATP Finals in 2002, Tsitsipas was just four years old. Roger Federer has won 50 matches or more in 15 different seasons, Stefanos Tsitsipas has just reached 2019 for the first time.
In terms of routine, the signs were clear, Tsitsipas also began a bit nervous, in the opening match a break ball. But, experience to and fro, even the Swiss's work was not round from the beginning: Two smashs awarded Tsitsipas opened his own opportunity to break. And the 21-year-old attacked - offensively, as one is used to from him. So it should remain until the end after a little more than 90 minutes of playing time: Tsitsipas took advantage of his options, Federer not. And so the victory deservedly went 6: 3 and 6: 4 to the much younger ones.
Tsitsipas with breakballs defensive
Tsitsipas had a nearly three-hour fight with Rafael Nadal on Friday, but he was surprisingly fresh after the hardships of the long season and the fight against Spain's number one player in the world. And came back at the score of 4: 2 from 0:40. And parried in the last game of the first set, which took almost ten minutes, again two ways to make his opponent's comeback. After 46 minutes playing time, it was 6: 3 for Stefanos Tsitsipas.
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Also in the second round Tsitsipas went with his first of three break chances 2-1 in the lead. And that's exactly what Federer lacked: The 38-year-old initially had three chances to become a direct rebreaker. In the fourth, however, a forehand by Tsitsipas sailed out, the balance was in the majority of 17.800 spectators in the O2 Arena appeal.
A few moments later Federer managed a novelty: he fended off a break option. What annoyed the nervy Stefanos Tsitsipas but not further: He just turned the next with a forehand winner to 3: 2. What the audience liked as well. At the score of 5: 3 Tsitsipas was twice only two points from the finals, Federer kept his service with difficulty. At his own expense, Tsitsipas brought his second success in the fourth meeting with the Swiss dry. Significantly, after he was able to destroy two breakballs again.
Federer retired in 2017 and 2018 in the semifinals
For Federer it was the third semi-final defeat in a row at the ATP Finals: In 2017, he had surprisingly lost to David Goffin, last year against eventual winner Alexander Zverev. The latter could wait on Sunday from Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final. Assuming that the German prevails in the evening (from 21 clock live on Sky, ServusTV and in our live ticker) against Dominic Thiem.