Taylor Fritz is through to his third Masters 1000 semi-final in Monte Carlo and the first on clay! Taylor dethroned a two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-4 in 70 minutes after an impressive display. Fritz defeated Tsitsipas for the first time in four encounters, dropping 11 points in nine service games and losing serve once.
Stefanos could not follow that pace, giving away 45% of the points behind the initial shot and getting broken four times from five opportunities offered to Taylor
. The American fired 17 winners and 15 unforced errors, and the Greek added ten direct points and 18 mistakes, insufficient for a better result.
Fritz left Tsitsipas far behind in the shortest range up to four strokes, imposing his strokes and ending the rival’s 12 consecutive Monte Carlo wins. Stefanos played a wild forehand in the encounter’s first game and faced a break point.
The defending champion sprayed a forehand drive-volley mistake to lose serve and experience an early setback.
Taylor Fritz defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets in Monte Carlo.
Taylor cemented the lead with a drop shot winner in the second game and pushed strong on the return in the next one.
Tsitsipas netted a routine forehand right after the serve to suffer another break and fall 3-0 behind. Taylor controlled the pace with his backhand in the fourth game and produced another fine hold that sent him 4-0 in front after swift 15 minutes.
Barely losing a point behind the initial shot so far, Fritz forced Tsitsipas’ error in the sixth game to move 5-1 ahead and closer to the opener. Stefanos prolonged the set with a hold in game seven, and Taylor sealed it with a hold at love in game eight for 6-2 in 29 minutes.
Nothing separated them at the start of the second set, reaching 3-3 after six comfortable holds. Taylor changed that in game seven, landing a forehand winner to open a 4-3 gap and move closer to the finish line. With no room for errors, Stefanos stepped in on the return in game eight and pulled the break back with a forehand winner to level the score at 4-4.
Instead of building on that, the defending champion sprayed a forehand error in the ninth game to drop serve and seal his fate in this one. Fritz served for the victory at 5-4 and sealed the deal with an ace down the T line to wrap up an impressive triumph and advance into the last four.
