Stefanos Tsitsipas’ was runner up at the final of the Barcelona Open yesterday, losing in straight sets to world number one Rafael Nadal.
The teenager from Athens got off to a good start, as he held to love in the opening game of the match. However, Nadal would dominate the remainder of the first set, with the Spaniard taking it 6-2. Nadal would also dominate the second set, winning it by a score of 6-1 to win the title on home soil in the stadium named after him. This would be Nadal’s 11th Barcelona title, which is a record as no player has won that many titles at the same event in tennis history. It also marked the Spaniard’s 19th consecutive win on clay, and he has now won his last 46 sets on this surface. Additionally, this win also means that the King of Clay will hold onto the number one ranking.
On the other hand, Tsitsipas has a lot to be proud of. Not only did he become the first Greek in 45 years to make a final on the ATP World Tour, but he will also now make a historic rise in the rankings. After becoming the first Greek man to ever break into the top 100 just six months ago, Tsitsipas will now become the first to crack the top 50, as he will move up to 44 from his current ranking of 63. With very few ranking points to defend over the next four months, it is inevitable that Tsitsipas will continue his ascent up the rankings as long as he stays healthy. With plenty of room for further improvement in his game, the sky is the limit for the young Tsitsipas.
Source: greekcitytimes.com