By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday May 16, 2024
Nicolas Jarry edged Stefanos Tsitsipas with a power-packed performance to make it two Chileans in the final four at the Foro Italico.
Photo Source: TTV
Nicolas Jarry turned up the heat and battled past Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to make more history for Chile on Thursday night at the Foro Italico in Rome.
Jarry joins Alejandro Tabilo, the man who took out Novak Djokovic in the third round at Rome, in the semifinals, making it two players from Chile in the final four of a Masters 1000 draw for the first time in history.
Jarry and Tabilo are the first Chileans to reach the semifinals of an ATP event since 2006 Vina del Mar and the first pair to achieve the feat outside of Chile since the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Jarry had to turn Thursday’s tilt on its ear with high-risk shotmaking to get it done.
He will face American Tommy Paul for a spot in his first Masters 1000 final on Friday. Paul defeated Hubert Hurkacz earlier on Thursday, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
Where does the victory rank in terms of wins for 28-year-old Jarry?
“Top,” he said. “Beating Stefanos on clay it’s a good achievement, so I’m extremely happy for my fight today, how I played, how I maintained myself, even being down a set and break.
“I just kept trying to find different ways to have chances against his serve.”
Jarry finished with 37 winners to 19 for Tsitsipas, as he repeatedly cracked his forehand close to 90 MPH in the contest.
The World No.24 hit 23 forehand winners, against 21 unforced errors off that wing, and nailed another six off the backhand side.
Jarry credited a mid-match adjustment with helping him shore up his backhand as he worked to turn the match around against 8th-ranked Tsitsipas.
“I knew I was playing good but I had to adjust some things on the backhand side so he didn’t push me back – that’s why he plays so good,” he said. “I was able to do it and I’m extremely happy for the win.”
Jarry was great under pressure in the pair’s sixth ATP head-to-head clash, and first on clay, saving 11 of 13 break points overall. He saved all five break points he faced in the second set, then broke in the final game to force a decider.
In the final set he rallied from a break down to draw level at two-all, then broke Tsitsipas in the final game, converting his fourth match point to lock up the victory in two hours and 47 minutes.
Jarry earns his 10th Top 10 win, and third of the season, while Tsitsipas drops to 25-8 on the season and 13-3 on clay this season.
He improves to 4-2 lifetime against Tsitsipas.