Tennis is all about timing.
Stefanos Tsitsipas believes its about time he breaks through to capture a Masters 1000 title.
Podcast: Assessing Wild Week in Monte-Carlo
“Obviously, it is important to elevate my game and try and push it to the limits,” Tsitsipas said after reaching his first Monte-Carlo final. “I really, really want to be in that position where I come close to winning big tournaments like this, like the Rolex Masters here in Monte-Carlo. It’s a dream of mine to be playing in the final, honestly.”
A sharp Tsitsipas wasted no time dismissing Dan Evans 6-2, 6-1 in today’s first Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semifinal.
The fourth-seeded Tsitsipas ended the 30-year-old Briton’s inspired run that saw him shock world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and defeat 2017 semifinalist David Goffin en route to his first career Masters semifinal charging into his first Monte-Carlo final.
Tsitsipas tore through the final five games to beat Evans for the third time in as many meetings. The 2019 ATP Finals champion has surrendered just 22 games in four tournament victories to reach his third Masters 1000 final.
This time, Tsitsipas won't have to face an iconic Big 3 rival as he did bowing to Djokovic in the 2019 Mutua Madrid Open final and in the 2018 Rogers Cup final where he fell to then No. 1 Nadal.
Instead, the Greek renews his rivalry with Andrey Rublev in tomorrow’s final showcasing two of tennis’ top young talents playing for a maiden Masters 1000 championship. The pair have split six prior meetings with Rublev out-dueling Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in their lone prior final on the red clay of Hamburg last October.
The sixth-seeded Rublev backed up his stunning upset of 11-time champion Rafael Nadal in last night’s quarterfinals defeating 22-year-old Casper Ruud 6-3, 7-5 in 80 minutes.
The red-hot Rublev raised his 2021 record to an ATP-best 24-4.
The final pits two explosive shotmakers with disparate styles. Rublev is at his best hovering near the baseline blasting deep drives off both wings into the corners, while Tsitsipas will try to impose his stinging serve and all-court acumen on this final.
"Of course, I'm feeling great and happy to play one more final, especially my first ATP Masters final," Rublev said. "It's going to be tough match. Like I said, we had already many battles with each other last year.
"Some of them he won, some of them I won. All of them were super tough three-set matches, most of them. Not much to say. I hope we will show great tennis and people will enjoy."
Photo credit: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters