By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, April 20, 2024
Stefanos Tsitsipas rallied past Dusan Lajovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to fight into his fourth Barcelona final today and a rematch with Casper Ruud.
Photo credit: BancSabadell Barcelona Open Facebook
The man in the crimson clothes continues his red-hot clay-campaign.
In a clash of one-handed backhands, Stefanos Tsitsipas rallied past Dusan Lajovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to fight into his fourth Barcelona final today.
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Inspired by his run to his third career Monte-Carlo championship last Sunday, Tsitsipas will play for his first career ATP 500 level title tomorrow when he takes on Casper Ruud in a rematch of the Monte-Carlo final.
Tsitsipas improved his 2024 clay record to a perfect 10-0.
The fifth-seeded Tsitsipas, who saved two match points in his quarterfinal victory over Facundo Diaz Acosta yesterday, was Barcelona runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz last year after falling to Rafael Nadal in the 2018 and 2021 finals.
“I would say the first game of the second set showed a direction where it felt if I keep up returns and applying constant pressure from the first shot I get to dictate, it might turn around,” Tsitsipas said after raising his record to 21-6 reaching his 29th career final. “It was a close game and I lost it but deep in my mind it was ingrained that if I continue on the same path, something good is waiting.
"It turned out I was right. I continued to play that kind of tennis.”
Earlier, the third-seeded Ruud fended off Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(6), 6-4 to reach his ATP-best fourth final of the 2024 season.
Former world No. 2 Ruud raised his record to an ATP-best 28-7 on the season.
It's the 22nd career final for Ruud, who is 0-3 in finals this year.
In the Monte-Carlo final last Sunday, Tsitsipas streaked through seven straight games dismantling Ruud 6-1, 6-4 to capture his third Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters championship in the last four years.
On championship point, Tsitsipas slashed a clean forehand winner down the line then crashed to the court like a man backstroking in a maroon mist.
This is the 11th career 500-level final for Tsitsipas, who is 0-10 lifetime in ATP 500 finals.
The seventh-ranked Tsitsipas has split four career meetings with Ruud.
When the former French Open finalists collide tomorrow, Ruud will need to show an answer for Tsitsipas' assault on is weaker backhand wing. Tsitsipas repeatedly attacked Ruud's two-hander and closed net effectively in Monte-Carlo.