By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday February 24, 2019
Stefanos Tsitsipas rallied from a break down in the second set topping Mikhail Kukushkin, 7-5, 7-6 (5), in the Marseille final.
Photo credit: Open 13 Provence Facebook
Stefanos Tsitsipas showed fine touch completing an untouchable week in Marseille.
The 20-year-old Tsitsipas battled back from a break down in the second set stopping Mikhail Kukushkin, 7-5, 7-6 (5), to collect his second career title in Marseille.
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"This tournament was unreal this week," Tsitsipas said. "I got a lot of positive, nice vibes from Marseille."
It is Tsitsipas' first ATP title since he knocked off Fabio Fognini and Ernests Gulbis in succession to win his maiden title in Stockholm last October.
Tsitsipas has contested quarterfinals or better in seven of his last nine tournaments.
The first Greek man to reach a Grand Slam semifinal showed variety mixing a bold forehand with some timely drop shots and even brought out the serve-and-volley capping a week in which he did not surrender a set scoring wins over Hubert Hurkacz, Sergiy Stakhovsky, David Goffin and Kukushkin.
Tsitsipas slashed 15 aces, won 84 percent of his first-serve points and saved three of four break points in a cagey one hour, 59-minute victory.
Little separated the pair in a tight first set that saw both men probing patiently from the baseline.
The 50th-ranked Kukushkin tried denying the explosive Greek pace, mixing in some softer slice and measured topspin. That tactic helped the man from Kazakhstan stay in step through 11 games as he denied the lone break point midway through the set.
The top-seeded Tsitsipas was cruising through service games snapping off six aces, including a two-ace hold for 6-5.
Touch helped Tsitsipas carve out the lone break and opening set.
An exquisite angled drop shot brought him to 15-30. Tsitsipas drove a sharp-angled return for set point.
The ensuing 11-shot rally ended with Kukushkin slapping his two-hander into the middle of the net.
Tsitsipas served 70 percent, won 86 percent of first-serve points and did not face a break point in a controlled 48-minute set.
Surrendering a set for the first time all week, Kukushkin took a bathroom break, made a shirt change and tried to test Tsitsipas on serve.
Trying to shorten points, Tsitsipas unveiled the serve-and-volley in the second set, carving out a finely-angled backhand volley to save the first break point he faced in the fifth game.
Staunch defense from Kukushkin earned a second break point. Challenging the man from Kazakhstan's forehand, Tsitsipas paid a stiff price. Kukushkin cranked a running forehand crosscourt breaking for 3-2 with a fierce uppercut.
The 31-year-old Kukushkin, who won 37 of 39 service games en route to the final, withstood a pair break points backing up the break for 4-2.
Deploying the serve-and-volley again, Tsitsipas saved a couple of break points with some dynamic forward charges holding in the seventh game.
Contesting his first ATP final since the 2015 Sydney title match, Kukushkin served for the second set at 5-4. But in a burst of a energy Tsitsipas countered a deep drive with a churning backhand that rattled out the backhand error as he broke back for 5-all.
In the tie breaker, Tsitsipas dug out a phenomenal low volley into the corner then drained a running forehand error for a 3-2 lead. Taking the net away, Kukushkin put a backhand volley behind the Greek for a 4-3 lead.
Deadlocked at 5-all, Tsitsipas ended an intense rally with a twisting topspin forehand to earn the mini break and championship point.
Bravely banging a forehand down the line, Tsitsipas drew a netted running forehand to close one minute short of the two-hour mark.