Tsitsipas downs Fokina to defend Monte Carlo crown

IMAGE: Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates with the trophy after beating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to win the Monte Carlo ATP 1000 Masters at Monte-Carlo Nation Membership, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, on Sunday. {Photograph}: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Stefanos Tsitsipas captured his second straight Monte Carlo Masters crown with a workmanlike 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over first-time ATP Tour finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Sunday, claiming his first title of the 2022 season.

Greek world quantity 5 Tsitsipas’s second Masters 1000 title comes on the good time for the 23-year-old, who’s hoping to enhance on his runner-up end eventually yr’s French Open and declare a maiden Grand Slam title this yr.

Shock bundle Davidovich Fokina, who knocked out top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz within the earlier rounds at Monaco, drew first blood by breaking Tsitsipas to take a 2-1 lead within the opening set.

However the world quantity 46 Spaniard surrendered his serve within the subsequent sport, permitting Tsitsipas to take management of the competition once more and go a arrange in solely 31 minutes with a near-flawless show on Court docket Rainier III.

The pair traded breaks once more in a see-sawing second set earlier than Tsitsipas pounced within the tiebreak to safe the victory and his eighth profession title when Davidovich Fokina didn’t cope with a blistering backhand.

The victory helped Tsitsipas be a part of Rafa Nadal as the one energetic participant to win consecutive titles at Monte Carlo, with the likes of Juan Carlos Ferrero, Thomas Muster, Bjorn Borg and Ilie Nastase additionally reaching the feat throughout their taking part in days.

“Outstanding. I am very happy with myself. Issues did not appear to be going effectively at some factors however I managed to remain well-composed and saved believing that I can end this off,” Tsitsipas mentioned in a courtside interview.

“I am happy with the idea I put into my sport… Generally you doubt your self however it’s all the time essential to maintain your head excessive.

“He was a tough opponent. He fought in moments I did not actually anticipate him to. He hits unbelievable winners out of nowhere and performed extraordinarily unpredictable, however I used to be in a position to minimise that immediately… I consider this can be a nice win towards him.”

Tsitsipas mentioned later that regardless of his dominant show in Monaco — the place he dropped just one set towards Argentine Diego Schwartzman within the quarter-finals — his thoughts was not on Roland Garros starting on Might 22.

“We nonetheless have Masters 1000 occasions (Madrid and Rome subsequent month) till then, so I’ll consider these earlier than the French Open comes alongside,” Tsitsipas mentioned.