By Chris Oddo | Saturday May 4, 2019
Stefanos Tstitsipas and David Goffin played a strange, scrambly match that featured mega breaks of serve (10 in total) and plenty of downshifting, but as uneven as it was the contest didn’t lack for intensity and certainly had plenty of shining moments.
The 20-year-old Greek got the better of the big points and made the most of his momentum down the stretch as he hit high gear just ahead of the finish line and claimed the final two games to notch a hard-fought 3-6 6-4 6-4 win over the Belgian.
"I fought very hard and gave my soul out on the court, which is the biggest pleasure in this sport," Tsitsipas said, according to ATPWorldTour.com.
Tsitsipas improves to 4-2 lifetime over Goffin and he moves on to face Pablo Cuevas in the final.
The Uruguayan fell behind by a set but rallied to take out 19-year-old qualifier Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 3-6 6-2 6-2.
Cuevas reaches his first final since 2017 and his tenth overall. He also played the shot of the day when he made an incredible behind-the-back defensive stab in the second set.
At that time Fokina’s injury to his right rib area became difficult to deal with. He was no match for Cuevas down the stretch despite a game effort in his first career semi-final.
Goffin and Tsitsipas played a tense third set after neither player could manage much momentum on serve in the second. There were seven breaks of serve in the middle set—four for Tsitsipas—but the first eight games of the decider went the way of the server.
Finally Tsitsipas broke for 5-4 on his fourth break point of the set and he would serve the match out on his first try.
The Greek will bid for his third ATP title on Sunday, and his second of 2019 to go with his Marseille crown.