Casper Ruud vs Stefanos Tsitsipas Monte Carlo Masters 2024 Final Highlights: Dominant Tsitsipas bags third Monte Carlo title

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There will be no third sweep of the Monte Carlo Masters for Novak Djokovic, nor a fourth title of the season for Jannik Sinner. The top two seeds and the World No. 1 and 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, lost their semifinal matches to Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas respectively. Djokovic remains on 98 career titles, as a win has been elusive four months into the new season.

Casper Ruud took a set off the World No. 1 for the first time and also secured his first win in six meetings with the Serb. The Norwegian triumphed over Novak Djokovic on Saturday, posting a three-set victory with scores of 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. Ruud will play in the Monte Carlo Masters final against two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Tsitsipas started strongly in his match against Sinner. The Italian, who won the title in Miami, required medical attention during the seventh and ninth games of the third set. Jannik Sinner fought back, taking the second set 6-3 and leading 3-1 in the third. However, his hamstring issue gave the Greek an opportunity to re-enter the match. The match concluded on a subdued note when Sinner’s backhand went wide while serving at 15-40 in the third set, resulting in a 4-6, 6-3, 4-6 loss.

Casper Ruud vs Stefanos Tsitsipas – Preview

Casper Ruud is in his maiden Monte Carlo final, thanks to his win over World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Ruud broke the Serbian’s serve in the very first game and held his own to go up 2-0 before trading breaks with the top seed in the fifth and sixth games, taking the opening set 6-4. The next set was dominated by Djokovic as he took it 6-1, breaking Ruud twice. Ruud doubled down in the third set to win it 6-4, marking his 12th career win against a top 10 player. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, served a double fault on match point to hand Ruud the biggest win of his career.

In the first semifinal of the day, Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled off an upset over the 2024 Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner to notch up his first win over the World No. 2 in three matches. Sinner, who went into his semifinal match as the overwhelming favorite, instead suffered only his second defeat of the season. It was also Sinner’s second loss at the semifinal stage of a Masters event in 2024.

The 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory by Tsitsipas propelled him into his third Monte Carlo final in four years and his first of the 2024 season.

Head-to-head record

Matches – 4

Casper Ruud – 2

Stefanos Tsitsipas – 2

Each player has secured two victories, and their performance on clay courts is evenly matched, with each player claiming one win.

Prediction

Tsitsipas and Ruud, both underdogs in their semifinal matches, emerged victorious in three sets and have a strong track record on clay. The two 25-year-olds are set to compete in the final of the season’s first clay court ATP 1000 Masters.

Casper Ruud boasts 10 tour-level titles, with nine on clay. The Norwegian aims to end a streak of finals without a win. This year, he reached the finals in Los Cabos and Acapulco and in 2023, he was a finalist in Bastad and Roland Garros. His most recent victory was at Estoril just over a year ago.

In the final, both Tsitsipas and Ruud will strive to gain an early advantage, relying on their forehands. Tsitsipas can also count on his reliable baseline play and strong serve if needed. His one-handed backhand has proven effective in tight situations, as seen in the first set against Sinner.

Ruud has had a promising start to the 2024 season, reaching the quarterfinals in four out of six tournaments. In contrast, Tsitsipas faced challenges early in the year, dropping out of the top 10 in February for the first time since April 2019. With only two wins in his last five matches, his prospects in Monaco were uncertain.

Ruud’s serve has been more consistent, with a 66% first serve rate compared to Tsitsipas’s 57%. Their statistics are otherwise similar, including break-points saved (Ruud 73%, Tsitsipas 74%) and total points won (52% each).

This year, Ruud’s record is 20-6, while Tsitsipas’s is 11-6. Notably, Ruud is 5-2 at Masters events, with Tsitsipas at 2-2. However, Tsitsipas’s experience in big matches, including two wins in Monte Carlo, may lead him to his first title this season.

Result: Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in three sets.

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