Taylor Fritz eliminated Tsitsipas from the Monte Carlo Masters, took the fibrón and answered a rival’s chicane

The American Taylor Fritz it ended the Greek’s ten-match unbeaten run Stephen Tsitsipas In Montecarlowinner of the tournament in the last two editions, winning by 6-2 and 6-4 and, with it, enter the semifinals where they will face the Russian Andrei Rublev, ​who a few hours earlier beat the German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 7-6(5), fresh from qualifying.

Tsitsipas (ATP No. 3 and second favorite of the tournament) had not lost in Monte-Carlo since the round of 32 in 2019, when he lost to Daniel Medvedev. Since then, ten matches and two Monaco tournaments to his credit.

His ‘executioner’ was Fritz (n.10 ATP), who improves in Montecarlo, where the maximum he had reached was the quarterfinals of 2022. It is also the second victory of the American over the Greek, after having won his first occasion of the four in which they had previously met.

A victory, this time in the Principality’s Masters 1000, which did not allow for discussion, given that Fritz was clearly superior in all aspects over an apathetic and imprecise rival. And it is that from the beginning he got off to a sensational 4-0, after two service breaks in the first and third game.

It was enough for Fritz to hold serve, even with two empty games, to win the first set, in just half an hour. The second was more uniform, but still controlled by the North American.

He continued to serve until the seventh game, when Fritz broke Tsitsipas’ serve. The Greek reacts and immediately establishes a tie (4-4), but it is the last thing he does. The next two matches were for the American and, moreover, in an easy way, as he left only one point to his rival.

In the semifinals against Fritz, this year’s United Cup and Delray Beach winner, awaits Rublev, who previously dispatched German Jan-Lebbard Struff, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

Revenge, a dish served… Fritz

Fritz’s unexpected victory over Tsitsipas, for the background but above all for the strength of the score, gave way to another curious episode, with the cameras and post-match dedication as dutiful accomplices.

Consolidated as a tradition that recurs after every victory, tennis players lend themselves to the game, have a drink and write something for the viewers who follow the broadcast from home. Tsitsipas had said something and 24 hours later it was Fritz who managed to take his revenge.

In the qualifying round, the round of 16, the Greek eliminated the Chilean Nicolás Jarry and then made a piquant comment about the clay courts in the United States: “Clay in the United States is like a unicorn on a skateboard.” In case you need to explain the tease: he hinted that it doesn’t exist.

His curious statement had much tribune. Is that it was a nod to Brick Dust’s European tour, which includes Roland Garros in the star plane. But he did so by hitting the ATP in Houston without anesthesia, the only major tournament played on that surface in the United States and which took place last week, crowning the American champion Frances Tiafoe (she won the final against the Argentine Tomás Etcheverry).

The Tsitsipas chicane didn’t go well on the other side of the Atlantic. After noting what the Greek did in Monte Carlo, the event’s Twitter account expressed, “We have some questions.”

But it was another American, Taylor Fritz, who took up arms and eliminated the scoundrel Tsitsipas. After beating him in Monte Carlo and entering the semifinals, he took the fibrón and noted: “United States and brick dust ???”.

The victory went to Fritz, an American and clay tennis player. It was his way of responding to Tsitsipas, unbeaten in 10 matches in the tournament, with two titles in his pocket and with the support of the local crowd.

Rune crushed Medvedev

Denmark’s Holger Rune entered the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 for the first time defeating third seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia, 6-3, 6-4.

In his third appearance in the inaugural Masters 1,000 on clay, the 19-year-old Dane has ruled out Medvedev, who dipped his performance on clay but had a great chance of winning the tournament following the eliminations of Novak Djokovic on Thursday and defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece against Fritz this Friday.

Rune, who took 78 minutes to get rid of the Russian, is aiming for his first title of the season and second in his career on clay after Monaco. The other two successes in his career, also in 2022, were at the Masters 1000 in Paris and in Stockholm, on hard courts, as well as the finals in Basel and Sofia.

Holger Rune, who in his two previous appearances in Monte Carlo had not passed the round of 16 and who had never faced Medvedev before, will play the semifinal against the winner of the duel between the Italians Lorenzo Musetti and Jannik Sinner.