Tsitsipas cruises into Toronto semis

TORONTO – The ‘Big Three’ of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal all decided to sit out the Masters 1000 event in Toronto but Stefanos Tsitsipas has provided plenty of buzz as he stormed into the semi-finals of the US Open tune-up.

The French Open finalist continued the stellar form he has displayed all season during a 6-1 6-4 thrashing of sixth-seeded Norwegian Casper Ruud that gave Tsitsipas his tour-leading 45th victory of the year.

The 23-year-old Greek, who enjoyed a breakthrough run to the Toronto final in 2018, looked very comfortable against Ruud and later said there was not much more he could have better.

“It was very close to being an excellent game. My intentions were clear from the very beginning,” said third seed Tsitsipas, who had Ruud on the back foot right from the outset.

“I was not doubting myself in any way and kept things simple. Just played clean, aggressive tennis,” he added according to Reuters.

Tsitsipas, who many feel could be the player that eventually breaks the domination of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, said there is no way to ignore the pressure and high expectations he faces but would not want it any other way.

”It is very nice to see myself perform at this level,” Tsitsipas said in his on-court interview. “I was sticking close to the baseline and coming in, taking the ball early. It was my intention from the very beginning, and it worked perfectly.

“Playing against a guy like him, who gets every single ball back, is always very challenging. There is some sort of concentration levels you have to reach to perform to your best. These kinds of matches always teach me things that I can expose for next time.”

Tsitsipas is aiming to win his third tour-level title of the season this week in Toronto. The 23-year-old, currently second in the FedEx ATP Race To Turin, captured his first Masters 1000 crown in Monte-Carlo in April and lifted the Open Parc Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Lyon trophy in May.

“I was prepared for it, and I was sort of experiencing from a young age playing juniors, transitioning to the pros. It is something that you build something, something that you, I guess, know how to deal better over time,” said Tsitsipas.

“In the beginning it comes as a kind of something that you’re not really expecting at that level, but eventually you pick up and, you know, it becomes your new habitual life.”