By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, March 1, 2019
Stefanos Tsitsipas edged Gael Monfils, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), in a three-hour thriller to reach the Dubai final and debut in the Top 10.
Photo credit: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
Trampolining off the court, Stefanos Tsitsipas soared to throw down an thunderous smash that pierced the sideline.
On this night, neither a lively Gael Monfils nor tie break tension could stall Tsitsipas' upward mobility.
Watch: Federer Photo Bombs Monfils and Svitolina
In a semifinal of streaking opponents, a spirited Tsitsipas out-dueled Monfils, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) in a three-hour thriller to charge into his first Dubai final.
The 20-year-old Greek's commitment to forward thinking carred him to his eighth straight victory that will propel him to his Top 10 debut when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday.
Tsitsipas won 26 of 43 trips to net and kept moving forward throughout the decisive tie breaker to reach his second straight final and become the first Greek man to crack the Top 10.
The Marseille champion will meet seven-time Dubai champion Roger Federer, who is bidding for his 100th career title, in tomorrow's final.
Federer swept sixth-seeded Borna Coric, 6-2, 6-2, to power into his 10th Dubai final. Tsitispas is playing for his third career championship.
In his last meeting with Federer, Tsitsipas denied all 12 break points he faced dethroning the defending Australian Open champion in the Melbourne fourth round in January.
Empowered by his run to the Rotterdam title last month, Monfils rode an eight-match winning streak into a spectacular opening semifinal that saw the shotmakers combine for 92 winners.
The 32-year-old Frenchman played some electric points creating sharp angles on the run to build a one-set lead.
The fifth-seeded Greek exploited Monfils' fourth double fault to take a 2-1 lead in the second-set tie breaker. Tsitsipas was cranking crosscourt forehands coaxing a couple of forehand errors then banged a body serve for a 5-3 tie break lead.
Monfils made his biggest mistake of the second set failing to challenge a diagonal forehand from Tsitsipas that replay showed strayed wide.
Instead of 5-all as it would have been had Monfils challenged, the shot gave Tsitsipas two set points at 6-4. He needed only one nailing a return to force a final set.
Deadlocked at 2-all in the decider, Monfils tripped a backhand off the tape that scattered wide to face a second break point. A biting serve set up a forehand down the line to erase it. The Frenchman fended off a pair of break points holding for 3-2.
Tsitsipas dodged a break point in the eighth game.
Two hours, 32 minutes into the match, Monfils misfired on a big forehand on the second break point. Tsitsipas denied a fourth break point then soared for challenging a smash and banged a body serve navigating a four break-point game for 4-all.
Serving to force a final-set tie breaker, a tight Tsitsipas netted his second double fault in three points to drop to deuce at the two hour, 50-minute mark.
Tsitsipas' transition skills are formidable and he showed it streaming forward for a fine angled touch volley only to see a streaking Monfils snap a running forehand pass down the line for the third deuce.
The 20-year-old Greek made successful successive charges forward sealing a seven-minute hold to force the final breaker.
In a pulsating match of very tight margins, ultimately Tsitsipas' superior forehand control at crunch time and willingness to charge forward made the difference.
Exploiting a wild Monfils forehand gave the Greek the mini break and a 3-1 lead breaker lead. A hellacious kick serve out wide brought Tsitsipas to 5-2.
Attacking net three times in a row, Tsitsipas closed in two hours, 59 minutes sealing a heart-racing thriller to raise his 2019 record to 15-4.