Monte Carlo Masters: Stefanos Tsitsipas defeats Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to defend title | Tennis News

Stefanos Tsitsipas captured back-to-back crowns at the Monte Carlo Masters with a workmanlike win over first-time ATP Tour finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, claiming his first title of the season; “I’m proud of the belief I put into my game”

Stefanos Tsitsipas successfully defended his Monte Carlo Masters title with a straight-sets victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Sunday.

Tsitsipas missed an opportunity to serve out for the match in the second set but regrouped to take a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory in a little over 90 minutes, with the win set to move him up to second in the ATP Race to Turin.

“I am very proud of myself,” the 23-year-old said on the ATP website.

“Things weren’t going well at one point, but I managed to stay composed to finish the match off. I am really proud with the belief I put in my game. Sometimes you doubt yourself, but it is always important to keep your head high.”

Surprise package Davidovich Fokina, who knocked out top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz in the earlier rounds, drew first blood by breaking Tsitsipas to take a 2-1 lead in the opening set.

But the world No 46 surrendered his serve in the next game, allowing Tsitsipas to take control of the contest again and go a set up in only 31 minutes with a near-flawless display on Court Rainier III.

The pair traded breaks again in a see-sawing second set before Tsitsipas pounced in the tie-break to secure the victory and his eighth career title when Davidovich Fokina was unable to deal with a blistering backhand.

Earlier on Sunday, Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram underlined their new status as the top-ranked doubles pairing in the world with a hard-fought 6-4 3-6 10-7 win over Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.

Salisbury, 29, reached the No 1 spot in the rankings for the first time on Monday.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said on court. “I’m so happy right now. It’s a first title on clay together, on a surface that we always thought was a weaker one for us.

“[We have] not done too well here before, but we’ve been working really hard, and we knew we could play well. [I am] just so happy that it’s come together and to get the win here.”

Barcelona next

Tsitsipas will be back in action at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, where he reached the final in 2021.

The Greek could face Grigor Dimitrov in the third round, with fifth seed Carlos Alcaraz lurking as a potential quarter-final opponent.

Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime headline the bottom half of the draw, with the Canadian in line to meet Frances Tiafoe while Ruud’s first potential seeded opponent is Alexander Bublik.

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