Stefanos Tsitsipas is into the semi finals of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel Open in Mexico after beating Felix Auger Aliassime in a three set marathon 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and five minutes.
The world number five hit 20 winners was a perfect three for three on breakpoints. It is the third time this season Tsitsipas has reached the semi-finals of a Tour event after the Australian Open and Rotterdam. This week he is seeking his first title in 13 months.
“We both played unbelievable tennis from the beginning to the end, the quality and the intensity was at its highest,” Tsitsipas commented on his latest win.
“It got tricky from time to time, a few breaks in the first and second set, the third set I had a bit of luck in it towards the very end. I got a bit lucky but I was also very persistent, I saw a pothole, things worked out really well for me.’
“I am really blessed that I am able to play in front of a unbelievable crowd, every single match is a pure blessing,” he added.
To add a bit of context to the story both Tsitsipas and Auger Aliassime know each other well because they started playing in juniors when they were 12 years old and that has now turned into a rivalry.
It was the Canadian who got off to a fast start earning three breakpoints in the very first game putting early pressure on the Greek serve and would break with an outstanding return winner to take an early 1-0 lead.
It stayed on serve until 3-2 when the world number five staged a comeback and earned three break points of his very own and would break the following point with an amazing passing shot to level the set at three.
Again both players held serve until 6-5 when once again the Greek number one seed had three set points thanks to an incredible passing shot once again and would take the set winning the next point with an incredible rally forcing the Canadian to send a ball out.
The second set was a little more straight forward with the Montreal native earning the first break opportunity at 1-1 and would break with a sublime volley winner to take a 2-1 lead. That one break was enough for him to serve out the set to take 6-4 and send the match into a deciding third set.
For the first six games of the final set neither player blinked on serve until 4-3 when the world number 18 seemed to feeling the pressure and double faulted twice in a row to give the Athens native three breakpoints.
He would earn the crucial break winning the next point with a stellar forehand and served out the match in style to set up a semi final match-up with Italian rising star Lorenzo Musetti. Musetti knocked out world No.16 Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 7-6(3).
After the match Auger-Aliassime spoke about what he could improve on in his game from here on out.
“I felt sometimes I could have moved better today and could have broken through with my forehand a little bit more, that last game I served terribly so but overall my serve was good, It’s kinda circumstances matches where the first set could have fell on my side, on his side, I feel like I am at a similar level than him, somedays it goes on his side somedays on mine so hopefully next time I get my chance and take it”
Meanwhile, In his post game press conference Tsitsipas added more to his thoughts on the match and the win.
” It was a high-intensity match from both sides we both played incredible tennis I think, serving well both of us, got a few breaks in the first and second set but it was tight and felt really intense, it felt like it was growing bigger and bigger during the entirety of the match and I would say I got a bit lucky towards the end, two double faults from the Felix ( Auger-Aliassime) side but that was something he had to deal with as well part of the pressure I would say, mostly proud of the way I fought back, it was responsible and well-executed, generally I think I learned from it, it’s a good match to have in my portfolio, a good match to have in my ATP history, and it’s an important rivalry with Felix and many more to come
In other matches Alexander Zverev didn’t even need to hit a ball as his opponent Casper Ruud was forced to pull out with a wrist injury. He will next take on Dominik Koepfer who continued his amazing run by beating the Brit Cameron Norrie 7-5, 6-4 to set up an all German semi final with Zverev.
