It was an emotional scene on Court Rainier III after Stefanos Tsitsipas clinched his second consecutive Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title on Sunday. Immediately following his win against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the Greek immediately went to his box to celebrate with his team including his family.

Tsitsipas’ father, Apostolos Tsitsipas, is one of his coaches. After his son’s victory in the Principality, Apostolos told a story of a memory from around Stefanos’ 11th birthday.

“I remember we were in the North of France in Normandy, and he won a masters. He asked to participate in a junior French tour, and he won the masters of four tournaments. He was one of eight best players and he won the masters,” Tsitsipas recalled. “I remember the night before we flew back to Greece, he was not sleeping. He was super excited and he came to me and asked me if he could play only tennis and [not] do anything else in his life, because he feels really great [on] the tennis court.”

Apostolos was a high school teacher at the time and his experience with his students helped inform his realisation when Stefanos told him that.

“I believe one day telling the opinion like this, it’s exactly what they have inside them,” Tsitsipas said. “So my difficulty actually was to manage to bring the best out of him from this dream and this will he had to play tennis.”

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The 23-year-old Tsitsipas recently brought former World No. 4 Thomas Enqvist onto his team and Patrick Mouratoglou, the former coach of Serena Williams and current coach of Simona Halep, is also in his box from time to time, including Sunday. But his family is almost always with him, which Apostolos said is important.

“During his career, it’s very important [for] the parents to be around, because it’s a very hard life, traveling. It’s really hard week after week traveling. At some point he starts losing [and that is] orientation of what’s happening in life,” Tsitsipas said. “But if the family is around — like it’s proved this week, when all the family is here, because we now live in the South of France — for him [it] was much more comfortable, it feels like home. That gives him extra strength, I believe.”

It is easy to forget that Tsitsipas underwent surgery on his elbow after last season. He has previously revealed that his doctor did not expect him to compete until the clay-court season. Not only did the Greek make his return at the start of 2022, but he has already added another ATP Masters 1000 trophy to his collection.

Apostolos explained how scary injuries are for players, and how pleased he is with his son’s comeback.

“I didn’t know really that it was so hard for him. He was telling me after Torino or Nitto [ATP] Finals that [it was] feeling very painful,” Tsitsipas said. “We decided to make a surgery. It was very successful, and now he’s pain-free and I’m very happy for that.”

The Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final was won in the deuce court.

Stefanos Tsitsipas claimed back-to-back Masters 1000 titles in the Principality with a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Sunday. The two players played even when battling through the Ad court, pounding backhands and run-around forehands. It was Deuce-court forehands where the 6’4” Greek stood tall and wrestled control of baseline exchanges.

Deuce-Court Forehands
Tsitsipas hit 65 forehand groundstrokes standing in the Deuce court and Davidovich Fokina slightly less with 55. It was Tsitsipas who won the honours on this half of the court, mainly by keeping his errors considerably lower than his opponent.

What’s also important to note is that Tsitsipas forced eight errors when hitting his forehand from the Deuce court. Davidovich Fokina was far less potent, only able to extract two errors with his forehands originating from the Deuce court.

Ad-Court Forehands

Both players were looking to hit as many run-around forehands as possible when standing in the Ad court. Tsitsipas hit 56 while Davidovich Fokina was slightly higher at 59.

Overall, there was very little separating the two players when hitting run-around forehands in the Ad court. Davidovich Fokina was more potent from this side, forcing seven errors, while Tsitsipas managed just four.

Backhands

Davidovich Fokina slightly took the honours with backhand performance, striking four winners while yielding 15 errors. The Spaniard also hit considerably more backhands during the final with 106 to the Greek’s 84.

Davidovich Fokina was always looking to take hit backhand down the line to attack Tsitsipas or play back behind him wide through the Ad court. Tsitsipas committed 12 errors from a Davidovich Fokina backhand, while the Spaniard made 13 errors from Tsitsipas’ backhand wing.

When you combine all winners and errors in the Ad court from run-around forehands and backhands, Tsitsipas was -14 to Davidovich Fokina’s -13. This one-point difference for the Spaniard is in stark contrast to the five-point gap in the Deuce court for the Greek.

Forehands vs. Backhands
Another pivotal layer of the match that fuelled Tsitsipas’ hard-fought victory was simply the volume of forehand groundstrokes he was able to hit.

Tsitsipas Groundstrokes
• Forehands = 59% (121)
• Backhands = 41% (84)
• Total = 205

Davidovich Fokina Groundstrokes
• Forehands = 52% (114)
• Backhands = 48% (106)
• Total = 220

Tsitsipas was able to hit 59 per cent (121/205) of groundstrokes for the match, while Davidovich Fokina was considerably lower at 52 per cent (114/220). Advantage, defending champion.

Forehand Returns
Forehand returns were another critical area where Tsitsipas’ forehand stood tall against Davidovich Fokina’s forehand. Tsitsipas hit 25 forehand returns for the match and only missed one of them. Davidovich Fokina hit 18 forehand returns and failed to put eight of them back in play.

Overall, Tsitsipas’ backhand did exactly what it needed to — it did not bleed errors. He also turned 65 backhands into run-around forehands in the Ad court, providing pivotal support against Davidovich Fokina’s heavy backhand cross court.

But Tsitsipas can especially look to his forehand performance in the Deuce court as a key location where he was able to arm-wrestle control of critical baseline exchanges on the red dirt by the sea.

Stefanos Tsitsipas was thrilled to successfully his defend his Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title this week. However, what made it “double” special was how deep he had to dig to lift the trophy in the Principality again.

“It was a great way to top it off with lots of fighting in the end,” Tsitsipas said. “[It was] not so much [about] going for clean winners or for too much beautiful tennis, but trying to put in the hard work in every single point and go over the limits, as I like to say.”

In the semi-finals, Tsitsipas rallied from 0-4 in the third set against Diego Schwartzman. In the final, he let slip an opportunity to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set. But instead of panicking, the two-time Monte Carlo champion quickly rebounded to complete his victory in the ensuing tie-break.

Tsitsipas earned 1,000 ATP Rankings points with his win, which will propel him to second in the ATP Race To Turin on Monday as he tries to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fourth consecutive year. But the 23-year-old has set his sights even higher.

“I have a surface that I might be adjusting easier to than other surfaces and we know which one that is,” Tsitsipas said of his recent performance on clay. “My goal ever since I have realised that… is if I’m able to score points [on] this surface as much as I can and really concentrate on the other surfaces a bit more, I can really pull off a great year, maybe even finishing among the two best tennis players at the end of the season.”

The 2019 Nitto ATP Finals champion is off to a strong start to his season, which has included a run to the Australian Open semi-finals and the Rotterdam final on top of his Monte Carlo triumph. He is aiming to bring the level he did in the Principality throughout the year.

“I’m always trying to bring the best I can from clay and adjust accordingly to the other surfaces. I really want to be doing well on hard and grass this year, because I feel like I can really get a lot of points there,” Tsitsipas said. “If I’m able to win matches with the same consistency I do on this surface, I think I have a big chance of finishing the year [in] the top two, which is a huge goal of mine to be finally there and belong in that special group of players.”

Only five active players — Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Daniil Medvedev — have reached World No. 2, and all of them have ascended to World No. 1. Tsitsipas has reached a career-high of World No. 3.

“My tennis is great I think everywhere, with clay maybe being the surface that I can adjust [to] the best. I have had moments where I was trying to apply what I apply on clay on hard. Doesn’t really seem to be working much. Sometimes it’s not really the way to go,” Tsitsipas said. “But this has also [taught] me a lot that I should adjust and I should never really become obsessive that, ‘Okay, whatever works on clay should work on faster surfaces’.”

For now, Tsitsipas will not look too far ahead. The Greek is right back to work at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell this week. The top seed is a two-time finalist at the ATP 500, where he will try to lift another trophy.

Despite falling to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters final, Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was feeling positive and encouraged Sunday as he reflected on his dream run to his first ATP Tour final.

The 22-year-old arrived at the Monte Carlo Country Club holding a 4-9 record on the season. However, he played some of the best tennis of his career on the red dirt as he earned five wins at the event, including standout victories against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Indian Wells titlist Taylor Fritz.

“[It] was [an] amazing experience,” Davidovich Fokina said in his on-court interview. “I enjoyed every day, winning big [matches]. Beating Djoko and players that are at the height of their careers. It was a tough week. A lot of emotions.

“This week with my team was amazing. [It] was a dream come true to play here in Monte Carlo [with] full crowds. To hear the people support was amazing. I was at the bench thinking, ‘Wow, what a moment’.”

Davidovich Fokina’s best result at an ATP Masters 1000 event prior to the week came in Monte Carlo last season, when he advanced to the quarter-finals before Tsitsipas stopped him.

Following his run to the championship match, the Spaniard is projected to rise to a career-high No. 27 in the ATP Rankings on Monday. Davidovich Fokina admitted that he would not be getting carried away though and will take nothing for granted in his upcoming events as he bids to build on his newfound momentum.

“Beating these guys [gives you] much confidence,” Davidovich Fokina said. “After this week I don’t know if I will win matches. I will be focused like this week on every point, every game. I will enjoy every moment now. Doesn’t matter if I lose or if I win. I’m so happy with myself, what I am doing and just to keep in that line.”

A crucial factor behind Davidovich Fokina’s rise has been his strong relationship with coach Jorge Aguire, who has supported the Spaniard for more than a decade.

“We started when I was 10, 11 years old,” Davidovich Fokina added. “From the beginning, he taught me a lot of things. He keeps me in the line every year. Without him, I [would not] be a tennis player. He lives every match like me. He has a lot of emotions every match. I’m thankful that he gives everything every match because I feel it. We are so connected out of the court and on the court.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas successfully defended his Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters title Sunday, dispatching Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-6(3) to capture his second ATP Masters 1000 crown. 

“I am very proud of myself,” Tsitsipas said in his on-court interview. “Things weren’t going well at one point, but I managed to stay composed to finish the match off. I am really proud with the belief I put in my game. Sometimes you doubt yourself, but it is always important to keep your head high.”

The Greek, who was appearing in his fourth final at this level, struck his forehands with fierce topspin and accuracy and recovered from failing to serve out the match at 5-4 in the second set to capture his first trophy of the season.

“He fought in moments I didn’t expect him to fight,” Tsitsipas said. “He can hit incredible winners out of nowhere and play unpredictably. But I was able to minimise that. I knew he would be a dangerous opponent but that is a great win for me. I think we will see great results from him in the future.”

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With his one-hour, 34-minute victory, Tsitsipas has become the sixth player to win back-to-back Monte Carlo titles in the Open Era joining Rafael Nadal (2005-12, 2016-18), Juan Carlos Ferrero (2002-03), Thomas Muster (1995-96), Bjorn Borg (1979-1980) and Ilie Nastase (1971-1973).

In a standout week, the third seed produced consistent and aggressive tennis to capture his first title since he triumphed in Lyon last May. Tsitsipas overcame 2019 titlist Fabio Fognini, Laslo Djere and second seed Alexander Zverev in straight sets, but survived a major scare in the quarter-finals against Diego Schwartzman, rallying from 0-4 in the third set to advance. 

The 23-year-old, who defeated Andrey Rublev in the championship match in Monte Carlo last season, will climb to No. 2 in the ATP Race To Turin on Monday. The Greek has now won eight tour-level trophies, with four coming on clay. 

In a fast start, Davidovich Fokina showed little sign of nerves on Court Rainier III as he started the better, quickly finding his range on his forehand from the baseline to earn an early break. However, Tsitsipas quickly responded as he hit with greater depth, firing a forehand past the Spaniard to break back for 2-2.

The Greek continued to impose his heavy-hitting game on Davidovich Fokina, pulling the 22-year-old from corner to corner as he won four of the next five games to move ahead after 31 minutes.

Fuelled by momentum, Tsitsipas then seized further control at the start of the second set as he overpowered Davidovich Fokina with his ball-striking. The 23-year-old broke for a 2-0 lead, but Davidovich Fokina showcased the grit, which has seen him achieve breakthrough results the week. Pumped up and in the zone, the Spaniard began to club the ball with greater width, soaring back to 4-4.

Tsitsipas broke again when he received a little bit of luck on break point at 4-4 when his mis-hit forehand landed in, before he won the point with a topspin forehand that the Spaniard was unable to return. The Greek could not serve out the match though, with Davidovich Fokina raising his level to force a tie-break. Tsitsipas would not be denied a second Masters 1000 crown, though, playing more consistently in the tie-break as he forced errors from Davidovich Fokina with his width to triumph.

Tsitsipas improved to 3-0 in his ATP Head2Head series with Davidovich Fokina. He also eliminated the World No. 46 in Monte Carlo last year, when the Spaniard was forced to retire after losing the first set 5-7 in their quarter-final clash.

Davidovich Fokina was competing in his maiden ATP Tour final, having earned wins over Marcos Giron, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, David Goffin, Indian Wells titlist Taylor Fritz and 2018 semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov.

The 22-year-old was aiming to become the first unseeded winner at the Monte Carlo Country Club since Muster in 1992 and also the first player since qualifier Albert Portas in Hamburg in 2001 to capture his maiden tour-level title at a Masters 1000 event.

Despite defeat, Davidovich Fokina is projected to rise to a career-high No. 27 in the ATP Rankings following his dream run in the Principality. He arrived in Monte Carlo holding just a 4-9 record on the season and having lost all three of his previous tour-level semi-finals.

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury cemented their new status as the world’s top-ranked doubles pairing on Sunday with a pulsating 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 victory over Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in the final of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The American-British duo overcame stubborn resistance from sixth seeds Cabal and Farah at the ATP Masters 1000 event, producing an all-round display to prevail in a match that saw all four players maintain a high level throughout.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Salisbury in the pair’s on-court interview. “I’m so happy right now. It’s a first title on clay together, on a surface that we always thought was a weaker one for us. [We have] not done too well here before, but we’ve been working really hard, and we knew we could play well. [I am] just so happy that it’s come together and to get the win here.”

“I got the best player in the world on my team, that helps!” added Ram when asked about the secrets to the pair’s success. “It’s our fourth year together, we have great chemistry, we work really well together on and off the court. I think it shows in matches like this, we can piece together a good effort and give ourselves a competitive chance.”

Clinching a second ATP Masters 1000 crown with Ram caps a dream week for 29-year-old Salisbury, who reached No. 1 in the ATP Rankings for the first time on Monday. He and Ram showed off some of the skills that have made them the world’s top-ranked pairing, combining strong serving and rock-solid net play with imaginative returning to clinch victory in one hour, 38 minutes.

Neither team gave much away in a tight opening set that featured some entertaining back-and-forth at the net, but it was top seeds Ram and Salisbury who edged ahead after clinching the only break of the set in the seventh game.

Two-time Masters 1000 champions Cabal and Farah were never far away from their higher-ranked opponents and ramped up the pressure in the second set. All four players continued to strike the ball cleanly, but it was the Colombians who secured a crucial break with a sudden-death deciding point for 5-3 before serving out to level the match.

The teams had come through a Match Tie-break apiece on their way to the championship clash, but it was the top-seeded pairing who found something extra at crucial moments to clinch a maiden clay-court title together, with Salisbury crashing a forehand winner down the middle to trigger the celebrations on Court Rainier III.

The win improves Ram and Salisbury’s record in tour-level finals to 6-8, with the duo having also clinched Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open in 2020 and the US Open last year. They now lead Cabal and Farah 5-1 in the ATP Head2Head series between the two teams. Sunday’s final was the first time they had met in the 2022 season and was their first encounter on clay.

Ram and Salisbury, who lifted their maiden Masters 1000 title at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto last year, are now looking forward to hunting further success on the clay in 2022.

“It’s huge,” said Salisbury. “I feel like the past seasons that we’ve played [on clay] we’ve taken a while to get into it, but it’s massive getting the win here. We know we can play really well and really looking forward to the rest of the events.”