April 14, (THEWILL)- World number 12, Stefanos Tsitsipas, cemented his status as a clay court powerhouse by clinching his third consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title. The Greek prodigy defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud in straight sets, 6-1 6-4, in a display of relentless and “ruthless” tennis.
Tsitsipas struck first by breaking Ruud’s serve in the third game of the opening set. He then saved three break points to take a commanding 3-1 lead before earning a double break to claim the set 6-1 as Ruud double-faulted after just 36 minutes of play.
The second set saw Tsitsipas navigate a tense 13-minute game, saving three break points at 3-3 after leading 40-0. He then secured the title three games later on his first match point, sealing victory with a foreword winner down the line.
Tsitsipas, who will return to the top 10 in the world rankings on Monday, attributed his triumph to a motivating conversation with his team the night before the final. “I told them I would go out and play fearless tennis and that’s what I did. I couldn’t let the team down. I wanted to make the most of it,” the 25-year-old said.
The Greek sensation had stunned Australian Open champion and world number two Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, and he believes this latest Monte Carlo triumph is more special than his previous two title wins in the principality. “This is amazing, I want to thank family, friends and those who made this moment possible,” he said, adding: “The trinity is even more special than the first two.”
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
