Monte Carlo: Has Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated the demons?
Stefanos Tsitsipas almost gave up an almost certain victory against Diego Schwartzman in the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo. Not for the first time.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Apr 16, 2022, 07:51 am
The US baseball icon and quotes machine Yogi Berra would have added one of his classics when looking at the course of the game between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Diego Schwartzman early Friday evening in Monte Carlo: "It's deja vu all over again." Because once again it seemed as if Tsitsipas would give away a game he had long since won. The Greeks provided a number of precedents for this.
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For example at the US Open 2020, where Tsitsipas was unable to bring the match against Borna Coric to an amicable end in the third round. There had been plenty of opportunities, including match points. Even fresher in memory is the end against Hubert Hurkacz at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Miami last year, where Tsitsipas did not help a set and break lead in the end. As against Frances Tiafoe in autumn 2021 in Vienna.
Tsitsipas leads in the balance sheet against Zverev
A similar debacle was in the air against Schwartzman, after the 5: 3 lead in the second set, Tsitsipas suddenly delivered an exciting mix of failed attempts to stop and frame balls with forehand and backhand. Finely garnished with smashes that Schwartzman was able to achieve with great effort. Or Tsitsipas sank himself in the net. However, the fact that the defending champion found his form again in the third set speaks for Stefanos Tsitsipas again. On the one hand. With the 6: 2, 6: 7 (3) and 6: 4 he finally kept the chance of a triumph in the principality open again. However, Tsitsipas gave up the possible advantage of moving into the semi-finals with less effort than his current opponent Alexander Zverev (live on Sky and in our live ticker from 3:30 p.m.).
Because Zverev was busy with Jannik Sinner for more than three hours. And then wisely canceled his double appearance with Marcelo Melo. The statistics in the duels of the two former ATP world champions speak for Stefanos Tsitsipas: He has won six of the nine previous duels. The last one, however, went to Zverev in Cincinnati 2021 - like today, the game was to get into an ATP Masters 1000 final.
Here the individual tableau in Monte Carlo
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