At Roland Garros
Finalist for the 2021 edition, Stefanos Tsitsipas disappeared from the men’s table in the round of 16, won Monday afternoon (7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4) by the passion and talent of Holger Rune, the new Danish nugget on the circuit, only 19 years old. The Greek, who had alternated the good (against Mikael Ymer in the previous round) but also the less good (against Lorenzo Musetti, hardly dismissed in five rounds in the first round) since the start of the tournament, has only too rarely been able to answer at the pace imposed on him by the 40th player in the world who signs in front of a Central full like an egg the best performance of his career, against the seeded n ° 4.
Constantly pushing the Hellene far behind his line, constantly attacking him by relying on a big forehand, the blond with the face of a teenager has completely extinguished the Greek, who has been fairly approximate in his game for several weeks. Shortcomings that weighed too heavily in the exchange against a player, like Carlos Alcaraz, ultra-complete. Because Rune not only hits the ball very hard, he also knows how to vary his game by finding areas and multiplying the drop shots, without ever being reluctant to come and finish the points at the net. Like the Iberian, finally, from the same generation as him (only five days separate them).
This incessant and destabilizing risk-taking on the Philippe-Chatrier court could also have played tricks on the Viking born in Gentofte, on the shores of the Baltic Sea, but trained within the Mouratoglou Academy, in Biot, in the south of France, since she was 13 years old. Tsitsipas took advantage in a controlled second set before sinking, worn down by the missiles sent by the Scandinavian who had not passed a single round in a Grand Slam tournament until today. It’s done, and at Roland-Garros, his favorite tournament.
Winner of the Munich tournament after suffocating Alexander Zverev in the semi-final, the Dane with the turned-up cap, his trademark on the court, confirms his irresistible rise (he occupied 1019th place in 2020). A progression as impressive as that of Alcaraz, more in the spotlight. His next opponent is called Casper Ruud, a discreet outsider, from the north, like him, but from Norway.
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