Casper Ruud finally got the better of Novak Djokovic and beat the number one in the rankings 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 and set up the final of the Monte Carlo Masters once morest Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has won the tournament twice.
Tsitsipas defeated a tireless Jannik Sinner hours earlier, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, with which the Australian Open champion suffered only his second defeat of the season.
Djokovic double-faulted on match point to lose for the first time in six meetings once morest Ruud. The Norwegian had never won a set once morest Djokovic, including in the last French Open final.
“Nole” was down 4-1 in the deciding set, but held serve and broke a nervous Ruud to love to get within 4-3.
Tied 15-15 in the eighth game, Djokovic turned and yelled an expletive at a fan. Umpire Mohamed Lahyani asked the audience not to shout when they were in play, but he did not give Djokovic any warning.
Ruud and Tsitsipas are seeking their first titles of the year and the 11th of their careers.
Djokovic, champion of a record 24 Grand Slam titles, has not won a title this year and his career mark remains at 98.
Sinner, who already has three titles this year, remained in control at the beginning of the decisive set and went up 4-3 with his serve.
But at that moment he called for a medical timeout and a trainer massaged his right knee and thigh. Although Sinner joked with the coach, the situation became serious in the next game. Tsitsipas broke serve on the fifth attempt to tie the score.
Sinner limped a bit at the end of the next game and pulled the hamstring in his left leg before getting massages on both legs. His movement was restricted in the deciding game and Tsitsipas won on the first match point.
“He is one of the strongest rivals I have faced so far and to find a way when there were not many options, I feel proud,” Tsitsipas admitted yesterday.
The American actress Zendaya, the British Josh O’Connor and other members of the tennis film “Challengers” were present at the sunny Monte Carlo Country Club, in Monaco. Italian fans crossed the border and made Sinner feel at home, but Tsitsipas still had great support following winning the 2021 and 2022 editions.
Tsitsipas broke Sinner’s serve and held a 3-1 lead in the first set. The intensity level of both increased in the second set and the ninth game lasted 13 minutes in which Sinner saved five break points to tie the duel.
He then broke Tsitsipas in the first game of the third set. At this point it seemed imminent that the Italian would advance to another final.
Sinner, 22, was enjoying himself and smiled at his coaching team following winning a point with an audacious dropshot in the fifth game.
But Tsitsipas, who faced Djokovic in a five-set final at France 2021, showed his trademark resilience to come out on top when Sinner began to fade.—AP
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2024-04-28 16:44:52
