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Stefanos Tsitsipas edges Richard Gasquet in a sudden-death thriller at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown

Published

4 years ago

16/06/2020

Stefanos Tsitsipas edged out Richard Gasquet 17-12 14-15 15-12 13-15 5-3 in a sudden-death thriller at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown organized by Patrick Mouratoglou. Gasquet won the fourth quarter to take the match into the decisive set. Tsitsipas clinched the win on his fourth match point.

The match was played according to the revolutionary rules of the Ultimate Tennis Showdown. Matches last for a maximum of one hour and will be divided into four quarters of ten minutes each, all played in the style of a tie-break. Players take it in turns to serve two points in a row. A deciding point will be played if scores are level at the end of a quarter. If the score is 2-2 after four quarters the match will be decided by a sudden death, with the serve changing after each point and the winner is the first to win two points in a row. There is a time limit of just 15 seconds between points. Players have the chance to use the UTS cards in each card. Players have three serves on each point, making the opponent take only one serve on a point and winning two points if a player hit a clear winner.

Gasquet, who won a sudden-death thriller against David Gasquet on Sunday, took an early lead with a winners count x3 card, but he lost both points when he was ahead early in the ten-minute opening quarter. Tsitsipas won three points with a forehand into the corner thanks to the winner x3 card to win the first set 17-12.

Gasquet took the early lead at 7-5 in the second quarter. The Frenchman missed his backhand winner for a x3 before winning the next point to take a 11-9 lead. When Tsitsipas hit a x3 ace winner Gasquet was leading 14-12 in the second quarter with 1 minute to go. Tsitsipas drew level with two serves left before Gasquet hit an unreturnable serve to win the second quarter 15-14.

Gasquet used the winner 3x card at 6-6 at the start of the third quarter and hit an ace to take a 9-7 lead. Tsitsipas reeled off four points to go up 11-7 and took the third quarter 15-12.

Gasquet went up 6-2 in the final quarter, but Tsitsipas used the first of his steal serve cards. Gasquet won both points against serve. Tsitsipas used his winner x3 card before hitting a backhand up the line. Gasquet was leading 9-3, but Tsitsipas clawed his way back to move within one point with 26 points to go. Gasquet was forced to hit another serve with the 15-second clock. Gasquet hit backhand down the line to force the match to a sudden death. Tsitsipas saved three match points in the sudden death, before hitting a forehand to clinch a narrow win on the fourth match point.

“I don’t really know what happened, but I made some good decisions there.. If I made some decisions there. If I remember, I was two points back and he was serving, so it was important when I won those two points on his service points and got back on the score and gained a little confidence knowing that he wasted two cards and did not use them wisely”, said Tsitsipas.

Richard Gasquet enjoyed his first matches at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown.

“I had to give my best, if not it was 2-0 and it would be tough to come back, so I tried to fight a lot and I won the three points and I won the three points and I start the last point well and I won but it was a tough one. I am a fan of this format. It is intense as it should be. It was fun to play, really nice. Right now, there are no competitions. It’s the best thing we can do. There is zero doubt. There are excellent conditions. The Centre Court is beautiful”, said Gasquet.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Sebastian Ofner in Barcelona to extend his winning streak

Published

2 days ago

17/04/2024

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Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Sebastian Ofner 6-4 7-5 at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell to extend his winning streak to seven consecutive matches after claiming his third title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters last week.

Tsitsipas earned an immediate break in the first game. Ofner broke straight back to draw level to 1-1. Tsitsipas earned his second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the first set 6-4 with a hold at 15.

Tsitsipas broke in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Ofner won three consecutive games with two breaks of serve to take a 5-3 lead. Tsitsipas came back by winning four consecutive games with two breaks of serve to seal the second set 7-5.

Tsitsipas has a record of 17 wins to 5 defeats in Barcelona. The Greek player reached three finals at this tournament in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

“I feel pretty good, but it is still early in the tournament. The conditions here are very different to Monte-Carlo and I felt it today when I was playing. My job is to adapt and to ensure I can bring my A game again in Barcelona this week. Today was a great test to see where I stand. I am hoping to keep on improving and getting good wins like this under my belt”, said Tsitsipas.

Tsitssipas set up a third round match against Roberto Carballes Baena, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Musetti saved three break points in the first game of the opening set. The Italian player earned two break points with a backhand down the line. Musetti saved two break points in the seventh game. Both players went on serve un the 12^th game when Carballes Baena saved a set point. Carballes Baena went up a 5-1 lead with two mini-breaks in the tie-break. Musetti won three consecutive points to reduce to 4-5. Carballes Baena won the final two points to take the tie-break 7-4.

Carballes Baena converted his fourth break point in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Musetti broke back in the fifth game. Carballes Baena saved a break point in the sixth game. The Spanish player sealed the win with a break on his second match.

Last week’s Monte-Carlo finalist Casper Ruud beat Alexandre Muller 6-3 6-4 to claim his 25^th tour-level win of the season. Ruud has drawn level with Jannik Sinner for the most wins in 2024 on the ATP Tour.

Ruud set up a third round match against Jordan Thompson, who beat Jaume Munar 6-4 2-4 6-4. Roberto Bautista Agut beat Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-4 6-1 to claim his milestone 400th match win on the ATP Tour. Bautista Agut set up a third round match against Cameron Norrie.

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Roberto Bautista Agut wins his milestone 400th match on the ATP Tour

Published

3 days ago

17/04/2024

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Roberto Bautista Agut came back from one set down to beat Australian Open doubles finalist Andrea Vavassori 4-6 6-3 6-1 after 2 hours and 1 minute at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

Vavassori earned an early break in the first game. The Italian player earned three break points in the seventh game, but Bautista Agut saved them. The Spanish player broke straight back in the eighth game. Vavassori broke again in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and saved two break points before closing out the first set 6-4 on his second set point.

Both players went on serve in the first four games of the second set. Vavassori earned a break point in the fifth game, but he did not convert it. Bautista Agut broke serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead and did not face any break points to win the second set 6-3.

Bautista Agut broke three times to cruise through to a 6-1.

Bautista Agut reached the 400^th milestone win on the ATP Tour. The Spanish player has become the 13^th active player with at least 400 ATP Tour wins. He achieved 20 wins against members of the top 10, ten wins against top 5 players and four against world number 1s. Bautista Agut is one of the nine players, who have beaten Novak Djokovic as World number 1 more than twice.

“For me it’s just a number. The important thing is that I have done great work over these years, that I have a very consistent career, a career that I can feel proud of “, said Bautista Agut.

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Martina Trevisan beats Naomi Osaka to reach the second round in Rouen

Published

3 days ago

17/04/2024

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Martina Trevisan upset former world number 1 Naomi Osaka 6-4 6-2 in the opening round of the Open Capfinances Rouen Metropole.

Osaka has played her first clay-court match since Roland Garros 2022, where she lost to Amanda Anisimova. The Japanese player has not won a match on clay since beating Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the Madrid Mutua Open in 2022. She helped Japan beat Kazakhstan in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Trevisan reached the quarter final in 2020 and the semifinal in 2022 at Roland Garros. The former world number 18 won her only title in Rabat in 2022. She reached the quarter finals of the Zaragoza ITF 100 tournament.

Both players traded breaks in the first two games. Osaka earned two break points at 3-2 and three more chances at 4-3, but she was not able to convert them. Trevisan broke serve in the ninth game following a series of forehand errors.

Trevisan broke twice in the third and seventh games and served out the win on her first match point.

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat Elina Avanesyan 7-5 6-4 in 1 hour and 41 minutes to reach her second quarter final of 2024.

Andreeva went up a break in the seventh game, but Avanesyan pulled back on serve to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the second time in the 11^th game to win the second set 7-5. Andreeva broke in the first game to open up a 2-0 lead. Avanesyan converted her third break-back point in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Andreeva broke serve at love in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Avanesyan broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Andreeva broke for the third time in the ninth game and served out the win on her second match point after saving two break points.