Casper Ruud pulled off a major upset by defeating top seed Novak Djokovic 6-4 1-6 6-4 in an intense Monte Carlo Masters semi-final. This victory was particularly satisfying for Ruud as it avenged his loss to Djokovic in last year’s French Open final. Ruud will now face twice champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the title clash.
Earlier in the day, Tsitsipas caused another upset by defeating second seed Jannik Sinner 6-4 3-6 6-4 in the first semi-final, handing Sinner only his second loss of the year.
Despite losing to Djokovic in all their previous encounters, Ruud managed to break Djokovic twice early in the first set. Djokovic fought back strongly in the second set, but Ruud maintained his composure in the decider, taking advantage of Djokovic’s unforced errors to secure the victory.
After the match, Ruud expressed his joy at defeating a world number one for the first time. He acknowledged Djokovic’s prowess under pressure and shared his relief at winning the crucial points.
On the other hand, Tsitsipas reflected on his win over Sinner, describing it as a high-level tennis performance. Tsitsipas praised Sinner as one of his toughest opponents and expressed pride in finding a way to secure the victory.
With this win, Tsitsipas reclaimed a spot in the top 10 of the world rankings after dropping out earlier in the year.
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