Stefanos Tsitsipas sets up Rafael Nadal final at Rogers Cup

Last updated on 12 August 2018.From the section Tennis47

Unseeded youngster Stefanos Tsitsipas saved a match point before beating Kevin Anderson to set up a final against Rafael Nadal at the Rogers Cup.

The Greek, who turns 20 on the day of Sunday's final in Toronto, overcame the South African 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (9-7).

The world number 27 also beat Dominic Thiem, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev in previous rounds.

In the women's final, Romanian world number one Simona Halep will play American Sloane Stephens in Montreal.

Halep beat Australian Ashleigh Barty 6-4 6-1, while Stephens was a 6-3 6-3 winner against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.

'I can't believe what just happened'

Tsitsipas, who will be the the first unseeded finalist in Canada since Germany's Nicolas Kiefer in 2008, will be contesting his first ATP Masters 1000 final after his win over Anderson.

"I didn't even have this in my head," said Tsitsipas.

"I thought winning a couple of rounds would be amazing but I'm in the final already. I can't believe what just happened,

"I didn't aim that high and I think with low expectations I managed to pull out my best tennis."

World number one Nadal beat Russia's Karen Khachanov 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 to reach his 116th ATP final.

.view-comments-button-wrapped-component {display: block !important;} .view-comments-button-wrapper {display: none !important;}

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

47 comments

Comment posted by U16651053, at 09:03 12 Aug 2018
I was wondering if this guy was going to breakthrough this year; he was doing well early on in the year but not really getting far in tournaments.

It only takes one big performance though and last week's run at Washington has given the confidence he needed. Will be troubling the top 10 very soon with his talent.
Comment posted by LivingDeadGrrrl, at 08:44 12 Aug 2018
Tsitsipas has been steadily improving this year and this final is well deserved whether he wins or loses. Some great victories along the way, let's hope he can win one more match.
Comment posted by Linds, at 10:08 12 Aug 2018
Great to see Tsitsipas go deep into a Masters 1000. Really like this player.

Yes, he's not physically as strong as he will become yet - but none of our top players were at their physical peak at 19 or 20.

But getting to play Nadal on your birthday? Awesome! And beating four top-10 players to get there - he's the youngest man to do it since 1990.

Don't mind who wins this one.
Comment posted by nolant, at 09:55 12 Aug 2018
No 2 There is new blood in the game - it just doesn't match the "old" stuff at present.
Comment posted by Erico, at 09:01 12 Aug 2018
Vamos Rafa!
Comment posted by Fuddy, at 12:02 12 Aug 2018
Fantastic run by Stefanos but that single handed backhand is going to be tested to another level today.
Comment posted by LivingDeadGrrrl, at 11:00 12 Aug 2018
Regarding the "weak era" debate, people have accused most eras of being weak including the last decade. I don't agree that any era is weak. Tennis has evolved and developed with player fitness and technology. As in any sport, a select few rise above the rest and dominate sometimes. It does not mean the field is weak, the players dominating are just a lot better than the rest. Appreciate greatness.
Comment posted by mch, at 12:03 12 Aug 2018
It is very exciting, and very good for tennis, to see a new young talent emerging. Rafa's experience may be too much for Tsitsipas, but the young man has nothing to lose, so can play his natural game. I think Rafa may find Cincinnati a bit too fast for his liking, but he should go far in the US Open.
Comment posted by U16910501, at 08:51 12 Aug 2018
1 - I agree - need some new blood in the game.
Comment posted by kilkenny, at 10:41 12 Aug 2018
@RedOctober

Can’t say I agree. Questioning if it’s been a weak/strong era? Have you been watching same sport past 15 years? This has arguably been best era with Fed, Rafa and Djokovic bringing sport to previously unseen heights. Even in their 30s they’re continuing to break records. Yes, younger crop have possibly not fulfilled potential, but a few are still great players, just not as good
Comment posted by The Binocular, at 12:30 12 Aug 2018
In terms of calibre of players beaten this is one of the best runs in any tournament in the last 10 years. May well be the best if he beats Nadal too.

Dzumhur - #24 (#38 year to date)
Thiem - #8 (#6)
Djokovic - #10 (#5)
Zverev - #3 (#2)
Anderson - #6 (#8)
Nadal- #1 (#1)
Comment posted by elviramadigan, at 10:10 12 Aug 2018
Brilliant result. A bit sad for Anderson as this was his first chance at a Masters final but Tsitsipas SO deserved this. Hope he can win the final, because it's getting a bit monotonous over the last 2 years....
Comment posted by U17005086, at 14:04 12 Aug 2018
Love Rafa but would like to see the young lad win on his birthday!
Comment posted by RedOctober, at 10:00 12 Aug 2018
It depends on your point of view whether it’s been a weak era for the last decade or more. Could say that in that period, we’ve had a group of 3/4 dominant players that have swept all before them making it a strong era but then when those players are still dominating after a decade and still winning all the GS’s into their 30s then you could say its been weak with no consistent challengers to them
Comment posted by sambaben, at 17:05 12 Aug 2018
@ 34... How old are you, five?!
Comment posted by nolant, at 09:45 12 Aug 2018
No 5 You answered your own question "the Rafa show " and "where's the talent gone". Rafa is an outstanding talent and Feds is anything to go by he's got another several years at the top (if he paces himself!) He rarely even drops a set.
Comment posted by RedOctober, at 11:49 12 Aug 2018
@15

I have loved watching the likes of Fed, Raf, Novak, Andy since they appeared and they will definitely leave a huge void to be filled when they retire but I guess I’m just playing devils advocate by saying I can see both sides of fans arguments that such dominance by them as be seen as the overall quality and state of the game be seen by some as been strong and some as been weak.
Comment posted by U15492298, at 12:03 12 Aug 2018
Well done Stefanos, should be a great final and may the best man win!

Also keeping on the tennis theme has anyone else noticed that since Serena has been whinging and whining about getting too many drug tests her performance has dropped dramatically?

I'm not suggesting anything, just making a factual observation.
Comment posted by BeeBeeSee, at 20:51 12 Aug 2018
Rafa will probably pepper Tsitsipas's backhand like he used to Federer's with such good effect
Comment posted by RedOctober, at 20:30 12 Aug 2018
It’s good that there’s another exciting young talent that plays with the classical one handed backhand.Think it’s always good to see the variation in styles. Maybe it can also inspire some on the women’s side of the game that starting to learn playing at a young age with a single handed backhand can succeed in the modern game. All the top women today seem to play with the same style like clones.

Accessibility links