ATP Masters Rome: Novak Djokovic succeeds in comeback victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas
Thanks to a three-set success overStefanos Tsitsipas,Novak Djokovic is in the semifinals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome. The world number one beat the Greeks in a high-class quarter-final game 4: 6, 7: 5 and 7: 5.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: May 15, 2021, 01:27 pm
It took a little more than 16 hours for Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the next point after the last rally at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome. This went to the world number one, who presented himself as changed after the rain-related interruption anyway.
Tsitsipas, who had taken a 6: 4 and 2: 1 lead the day before, played his first service game, but had to accept the rebreak to 4: 4 a little later. In the following game, the fifth in the world, who will also start in Lyon next week thanks to a wildcard, missed three break chances and was punished by Djokovic for this - the Serb used his fourth set point to make it 7-5.
In the third set, however, it was Tsitsipas who made the first break to 2-1. After that, both players had further opportunities to take their opponent's serve, but Djokovic made the next break - the 33-year-old equalized to 3: 3 after a backhand error by his opponent.
Djokovic in the semifinals against Rublev or Sonego
It shouldn't be the last turning point in this high-class quarter-final game: Tsitsipas broke through the service of the world number one after an outstanding rally and served the match win with a score of 5: 4. However, Djokovic struck back again and made it 5: 5.
The following service game was played by the 18-time Grand Slam winner with a lot of effort and after defending a breakball, only to then carry out the final attack. Djokovic took Tsitsipas' serve at 15 and fixed the 4: 6, 7: 5 and 7: 5 success after more than three hours of play.
However, the world number one does not have much recovery time before his semi-final match. Djokovic will not meet Andrey Rublev or Lorenzo Sonego before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The good news for the Serbs: It will also be the second game of the day for the Russian or the Italian.
Here is the men's single tableau
rommap