Google News Roland Garros 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas got his first Slam final!
by | VIEW 353
Stefanos Tsitsipas reached his first Grand Slam final at the Roland Garros 2021 by beating Alexander Zverev in 5 amazing sets. The Greek dominated the first two sets, yes, but he also found himself canceling three break chances at the opening of the fifth set, before settling down with the final score of 6-3 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-3 at the threshold of four hours of play.
Nothing to do for Alexander Zverev. Together with the fifth success at the fifth set, the second from two-zero, the Greek talent gets the prize of youngest Grand Slam finalist since 2008 (when Andy Murray got his first Slam final) and youngest one at the Roland Garros since 2005.
Of course by Rafael Nadal's time. In short: Tsitsips is confirmed as the best alternative to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on clay-courts. Now he will wait for the winner of the other semifinal, the stellar match between Rafa and Nole.
The Greek delivers the decisive push at the first useful opportunity and keeps the following rounds without particular difficulties. The Greek talent, which condenses the vast majority of the difficulties at the start of the second set, restores the hierarchies without particular difficulties and with a row of six consecutive games strengthens the advantage in a lapidary manner.
The dynamics of the matter change completely. Sascha tries to make some small improvements to the tactical plan. At least to accompany the accelerations to the net with the backhand and to pinch continuity along the line with the forehand.
The German, who also considerably limits the number of unforced errors, manages to save himself with the serve available in the initial stages of the third, but above all to place the break and to go up 0-30 on 4-3. Needless to say, to keep the advantage until the end.
Zverev catches the break also in the initial part of the quarter and despite a very dangerous 30-30 at 3-2, he applies the serve-backhand scheme to perfection and reconstructs the advantage. Tsitsipas, on 4-5, seems almost more committed to looking for the unforced than to play the game.
The wait-and-see tactic doesn't pay. Tsitsipas struggles to find depth with the forehand and above all to get free points with the serve. At least in the inaugural serving time. The Greek somehow manages to find some automatism, to go back from 0-40 and above all to pass with the forehand on 40-even.
In what turns out to be a fundamental hub for the set. The German immediately moves the zero from the game box during the deciding set, but does not find the right solutions to resist from the baseline during the fourth game.
The Greek, more lucid and decidedly less foul, delivers the decisive push at the first useful opportunity, immediately consolidates the advantage and even if he does not take advantage of a handful of match points at 5-2, he closes with the available serve at 5-3.