Stefanos Tsitsipas exploded this Thursday after being eliminated in the second round of the Masters 1000 de Montreal at the hands of Japanese stainless steel Kei Nishikoriwho dispatched him with a double 6-4 in one hour and 18 minutes. And all the Greek’s guns were aimed at his father and coach, Apostolos, whom he not only threw out of the box in the middle of the match, but also tore him apart at the press conference.
“I need and deserve a coach who listens to me and my comments as a player. My father has not been very intelligent or very good at managing those situations.it’s not the first time he’s done it. I am very disappointed with him“I don’t know if I would consider any changes right now, but I’m very disappointed,” Tsitsipas began in cathartic mode before journalists.
He continued: “The most important thing for a player is to have direct and good feedback from a coach. The coach is not the one with a racket in his hand. The player is the one who tries to execute a game plan. It is a collaborative work that is carried out together. It has to be reciprocal for me to try to develop my tennis. It is something I do not want to remain stagnant in.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked his father and coach Apostolos off the court, in the defeat by Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 for the 1st round of the Montreal Masters. “Get off the pitch” #snowflakes #apostles pic.twitter.com/gQJ2jnhpmM
— Tennis24 (@tennis24gr) August 8, 2024
What had happened during the match? In the first set, with the Japanese leading 5-2 and 15-0, Nishikori was about to serve and the Greek approached his box and sent Apostolos away. The chair umpire punished Tsitsipas with a time penalty, but he cared little because he managed to come back and break his rival’s serve. The European’s lead didn’t last long, as the Asian veteran quickly adjusted the situation and ended up closing out the first set before winning the second and the match.
Nishikori, 34, who has been struggling with hip injuries for several seasons, will face Portuguese Nuno Borges in the third round, who beat Frenchman Ugo Humbert, seeded twelfth, in a close match lasting almost three hours with scores of 3-6, 7-6 (7-2) and 7-6 (7-4).
Sinner on a steady pace
Italian Jannik Sinner came out on top in his first ATP match since Wimbledon. The defending champion defeated Borna Coric 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday at the Montreal Masters 1000. The world number one had last competed in the quarter-finals at the All-England Club a month ago, where he was treated for illness in a loss to Russian Daniil Medvedev.
Sinner missed the Olympics due to tonsillitis and arrived in Canada a week ago to get used to the surface again. The 22-year-old Australian Open champion described his start in singles as “positive.”
“I’m very happy with my performance. The match was closer than the score indicated. I had to save a break point in the second set; if I had managed to do so, the match could have changed,” the Italian summed up.
Photo: AP
Zverev won and Medvedev and Paul fell
Second-seeded German Alexander Zverev dominated to advance to the third round, while three other top seeds, including Tsitsipas, were defeated.
Zverev, a quarter-finalist in Paris, claimed a dominant 6-1 doubles win over Australian Jordan Thompson. “It’s very difficult to go straight from clay to hard court, you can’t compare the conditions. Also, the balls here are difficult to control,” said Zverev.
He added: “I’m happy to have made it through, but it’s not easy to play a Masters straight away. That’s why there have been some exits from the best players,” said the German.
While the 2017 champion in Canada had an auspicious start, the tournament was a farewell for Medvedev, the third seed, and Tommy Paul, the tenth seed.
Photo. AP
Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich beat Medvedev 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 in almost two hours. “It hasn’t been an easy year for me,” said the Spaniard, ranked 42nd in the world. “But beating a player like Daniil gives me a lot of strength and power to continue. I’m very happy with this victory.”
For a place in the quarter-finals, Davidovich will face the winner of the duel between Russian Karen Khachanov, the sixteenth seed, and Italian Mateo Arnaldi on Friday.
Etcheverry’s defeat
Russian Andrey Rublev (n.8), seeded number 5, eliminated Argentinean Tomás Martín Etcheverry (n.38) with a 7-6(3) and 6-3. In the round of 16 he will play American Brandon Nakashima (n.52).
– Results of the 3rd day of the Montreal tennis tournament:
. Individual masculino – 2a ronda:
Jannik Sinner (ITA/N.1) defeated Borna Coric (CRO) 6-2, 6-4
Alejandro Tabilo (CHI/N.15) to Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 6-4, 6-2
Brandon Nakashima (USA) a Tommy Paul (USA/N.10) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1
Andrey Rublev (RUS/N.5) to Tomas Etcheverry (ARG) 7-6 (7/3), 6-2
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) a Daniil Medvedev (RUS/N.3) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) to Karen Khachanov (RUS/N.16) 7-5, 7-5
Nuno Borges (POR) and Ugo Humbert (FRA/N.12) 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4)
Kei Nishikori (JPN) a Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE/N.8) 6-4, 6-4
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL/N.7) of Rinky Hijikata (AUS) 6-1, 6-0
Casper Ruud (NOR/N.6) a James Duckworth (AUS) 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3
Holger Rune (DIN/N.13) to Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 6-1, 6-3
Alexander Zverev (ALE/N.2) a Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-1, 6-1
