Stefanos Tsitsipas successfully defends title in Monte Carlo

Associated Press
Sunday, April 17, 2022 4:23 p.m. | Sunday, April 17, 2022 4:23 p.m.

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Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas gestures as he celebrates his victory Sunday over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina during the final match of the Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament in Monaco.

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Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas kisses his trophy after winning the final match of the Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament against Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Sunday, April 17, 2022 in Monaco. Tsitsipas won 6-3 and 7-6.

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Spectators watch the final match of the Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament between Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Sunday, April 17, 2022 in Monaco. Tsitsipas won 6-3 and 7-6.

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Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas returns the ball to Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina during the final match of the Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament, Sunday, April 17, 2022 in Monaco. Tsitsipas won 6-3 and 7-6.

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Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina gestures during the final match of the Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament with Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, on Sunday, April 17, 2022 in Monaco. Tsitsipas won 6-3 and 7-6.

MONACO — Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first repeat champion at the Monte Carlo Masters since Rafael Nadal in 2018 with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win against unseeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Sunday.

“It’s a great feeling because we had the crowd this year,” the third-seeded Greek said after winning the first big final of the clay-court season. “It was a bit more lively than last year.”

Davidovich Fokina, the Spaniard who knocked out Novak Djokovic in the second round, was playing his first ATP final.

Tsitsipas won the first set despite conceding an early break. Davidovic Fokina overcame an early break in the second and broke twice.

STEF AT THE DOUBLE ????????

The moment @steftsitsipas went BACK-TO-BACK in Monte-Carlo!#RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/Nux2meJBj8

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 17, 2022

Tsitsipas squandered a chance to serve out the match at 5-4 but still wrapped up the final in 1 hour, 34 minutes.

“I am very proud of myself,” Tsitsipas said. “Things weren’t going well at one point, but I managed to stay composed.”

The 23-year-old Tsitsipas reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in January.

The identity of his opponent in Sunday’s final surprised many.

“I must confess that he was not the Spaniard I was expecting in the final,” said Zeljko Franulovic, the tournament’s director, with 11-time winner Rafael Nadal not playing in Monte Carlo because of a rib injury.

As well as knocking out Djokovic, Davidovich Fokina also beat Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals and Grigor Dimitrov in the semifinals.

“It was an amazing experience,” the 22-year-old Spaniard said about the tournament.

Davidovich Fokina said it had increased his confidence for the rest of the season.

“I don’t know if I will win another match, but I will be focused on every point, every game,” Davidovich Fokina said.

Tsitsipas was delighted by the rowdy crowd, after the coronavirus meant the 2020 edition was canceled and the 2021 tournament held without fans.

“It’s much more nerve-racking to have people involved, you have the fans yelling and chanting, but it was a great way to top it off with lots of fighting in the end,” Tsitsipas said. “He fought in moments I did not expect him to fight.”