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Stefanos Tsitsipas Monte Carlo Masters 2021
ATP Tennis Players, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Tennis News

‘This kind of match is important for me,’ Tsitsipas battles to defeat Musetti


Stefanos Tsitsipas had to fight to overcome the Italian teenage star, something the Greek sees as a positive learning opportunity.

Stefanos Tsitsipas has reached his fourth final of 2021, defeating Lorenzo Musetti in just over an hour and 40 minutes, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.

“It wasn’t easy,” Tsitsipas said in his post-match interview. “I had to stay calm. It was difficult to be a set down and having to kind of refresh myself and come [back] new.

“And then, in the second set, he was still putting in a lot of work and making work for every single point.”

The match marks the first time Tsitsipas has won from a set down since early March.

There he defeated Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals of Rotterdam, the same man he could face in the final of Lyon as the Russian takes on Cameron Norrie in the other semi-final.

“I was a break up, then he got a break back, then I broke him back again. So things were, you know, kind of unexpected and we played good tennis.”

Tsitsipas led the second set 4-2 on his serve when Musetti broke him to get back into the set. However, Tsitsipas responded immediately by breaking Musetti back again before winning the following seven games consecutively to secure the victory.

 

 

“I would say it’s important that I’ve had a match like this. It [keeps] me humble and [makes me] focus on the small details where I can potentially improve.”

Tsitsipas was dominant behind his first serve, winning 90% of points (37 of 41) behind it.

Tsitsipas now holds a 2-0 win-loss record over Musetti, as the pair met earlier this year in the semi-finals of Acapulco. If Tsitsipas wins in Lyon, it will represent his 7th career title on the ATP tour and second of 2021 so far.

(Photo credit Ray Giubilo)


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