Defending champion, the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, 5th in the world, avoided sinking on Friday in the quarter-finals in Monte-Carlo where he was trailing 4-0 in the decisive set before eliminating the Argentinian Diego Schwartzman (16th) 6 -2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4.
Tsitsipas thus joins the German Alexander Zverev (3rd) in the last four.
Solid in the exchange, the sure hand at the net, the powerful and precise service, the Greek led 5-0 then won the first set at a fast pace.
He then led 5-2 in the second when the game suddenly turned upside down.
Schwartzman scored twelve of the next thirteen points, including eleven in a row, to come back at 5-5.
Tsitsipas was still two points from the game when he led 6-5 and 30/30 on Schwartzman's serve.
But the latter never gave up and encouraged by the public who chanted his name to the point of making him smile, he equalized at one set everywhere and flew 4-0 in the third set.
Against all expectations, the game suddenly changed again, to the delight of the few dozen people who remained in the stands until 11:00 p.m., and Tsitsipas lined up the next six games.
🎾 Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats Diego Schwartzman 6-2 6-7 6-4 after a 2h43 fight!!
See you tomorrow for the semi-finals! #rolexmcmasters #mccc #monaco #tennis #atptour @MC_CountryClub pic.twitter.com/3ki6dAy7dH
— ROLEX MCMASTERS (@ROLEXMCMASTERS) April 15, 2022
Last year, the Greek won his first Masters 1000 tournament on clay in Monaco and, a few weeks later, he led two sets to nil against Novak Djokovic in the Roland-Garros final before winning. tilt.
A little earlier, Alexander Zverev, 3rd in the world, qualified by dismissing after an electric showdown the Italian Jannik Sinner (12th), widely supported by the public, in three sets 5-7, 6- 3, 7-6 (7/5).
“Sorry to have won!
“Launched the German, more or less ironically, to the public who ended up cheering him once the match was won.
The Tokyo Olympic champion had to play against Sinner... and the public, which is often favorable to Italian players when there is one on the court in Monte-Carlo.
As soon as he entered, the German was whistled and the tone was set.
However, he quickly broke away 4-1, chaining a series of 13 points won that put the spectators to sleep.
But the awakening of Sinner was accompanied by that of the public who pushed his player in his comeback up to 4-4.
And chants rose from the stands when, on a double fault, Zverev offered the break for 6-5 which allowed Sinner to serve for the win of the set.
Another roar accompanied Sinner's break in the second set to lead 2-1.
Spoon service
But Zverev immediately picked up and, despite the hostility of the public, took over his opponent's face-off to lead 5-3 and equalize on his serve at one set everywhere.
By breaking quickly to lead 2-1 in the third set, the German seemed to have done the hardest part.
But in his next service game, he attempted an underhand serve which preceded a second ball that was too long and therefore a double fault.
And two points later, Sinner landed a forehand winner that put them back at 2-2.
Zverev then took advantage of a double fault from Sinner to regain the lead (4-3).
He served for the win at 5-4 but Sinner came back at 5-5.
And the two men came to the tie break.
Like the whole game, this decisive game was breathless and ended with a final unforced error by Sinner in the net, on Zverev's first match point.