The reflex that chose Stefanos Tsitsipas after shining as champion of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 for the third time

“Fate favors the brave”. This was the sentence that the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, number 12 in the world, chose to write on the glass of the camera focused on him after having consecrated himself champion of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 for the third time in his careerdefeating the Norwegians in this Sunday’s final Casper Ruud (N.10) by 6-1 and 6-4.

The 25-year-old Greek, who had already won on Monegasque clay in 2021 and 2022, became the fifth player of the Open era (since 1968) to register his name in triplicate in the tournament register after Ilie Nastase, Bjorn Borg AND Thomas Muster. All equally, far behind Spaniard Rafael Nadal (11), with whom Tsitsipas could meet again this week at the Conde de Godó, where the Majorcan will reappear on the professional circuit.

“It’s amazing to taste the victory again. There’s a God up there!”exclaimed Tsitsipas, who has the Principality’s Rainier III slope as one of his favorite places.

It is the eleventh ATP title of his career and the first of the current season, as he had not celebrated for nine months, when he celebrated in Los Cabos (Mexico), in August 2023. He also achieved it after beating three top players 10 in the world: Alexander Zverev (5th) in the round of 16, Jannik Sinner (2nd) in the semi-final and now Ruud in the final.

The victory against Sinner had already been the best omen. Against the fashionable player of the circuit, who had only lost one match this season, he achieved a convincing success. He hadn’t beaten a player this high in the rankings since beating Russian Daniil Medvedev, then also No. 2, at Roland Garros in 2021.

Prior to this Monte Carlo event, he had not played in a Masters 1000 clay court final since Rome in 2022.

Thanks to this triumph, the Greek will return to the world ‘Top 10’ this Monday after eight weeks of absence: he will rise to seventh place in the rankings and will officially present his candidacy for Roland Garros.

Winning a Slam is very much his unfinished business after being runner-up at Roland Garros (2021) and the Australian Open (2023).

Ruud, the former world No. 2, will rise to 6th in the rankings, his best position since September 2023. For the second time he has failed in a Masters 1000 final, having crashed in Miami in 2022.

“You love this tournament and you played very well all week. You deserve to be back in the Top 10”Ruud told Tsitsipas during the trophy ceremony.