Stefanos Tsitsipas beats Borna Coric 6-3 6-4 in 1 hour and 35 minutes to set up a semifinal match against Danil Medvedev at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Coric had won three of his five previous head-to-head against Tsitsipas. The Croatian player beat his Greek rival in the final of the Cincinnati Masters 1000 tournament last August. Tsitspas beat Coric in three sets at the United Cup last January.
Tsitsipas saved three of the four break points he faced against Coric.
Both players went on serve in the first seven games. Tsitsipas produced four easy holds in the first set for 4-3. Coric faced two break points in the eighth game. Tsitsipas earned his first break to take a 5-3 lead, as Coric hit a backhand error. The Greek player faced two break points, as he was serving for the set. Tsitsipas saved them and sealed the first set 6-3 with a drop shot in 38 minutes.
Tsitsipas earned another break in the third game of the second set with a forehand down the line winner and held serve at 15 to open up a 3-1 lead. Both players went on serve in the next two games before Tsitsipas earned a break point at 4-2. Coric fended it off with a drop-shot winner to hold serve for 3-4. The Croatian player broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4 as Tsitsipas hit a forehand error. Tsitsipas earned the decisive break in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and served out the win at 15 with a service winner in the 10th game.
“He has been playing well and I am playing well also. I feel good on court, regardless if it’s a night session or a day session and I really hope to bring out of me. against him. I feel like he is playing better than the years before”, said Tsitsipas.
