By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday June 25, 2022
Stefanos Tsitsipas captured his first grass-court title by edging past Roberto Bautista Agut at Mallorca.
Photo Source: Tennis TV
In 2021, Stefanos Tsitsipas showed up at Wimbledon with zero matches on grass and was promptly bounced out in the first round by Frances Tiafoe.
This year the Greek made sure to put in the hard yards on the surface. In his third grass event of the summer the World No.6’s efforts paid off in the form of a title. Tsitsipas edged past Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2) for his ninth career title.
It was a two-hour and 31-minute battle on a balmy afternoon in Mallorca that could have gone either way.
“I know it can be difficult for one person to to deal with the loss,” Tsitsipas said, “but I think for tennis it's great that we're able to play at this high level and show where we can bring our sport to the limits of it.”
The Greek improves to 3-0 against Bautista Agut with his victory. He cracked eight aces and 25 winners versus 17 unforced errors against 25 winners and 19 unforced errors from his opponent.
Tsitsipas earns his tour-leading 40th win and will head to Wimbledon, where he faces Swiss qualifier Alexander Ritschard in the first round, with a tailwind behind him.