Stefanos Tsitsipas is the first confirmed player for 2019 Estoril Open
Millennium Estoril Open has replaced Portugal Open (it was held between 1990-2014) in 2015, staged at the Clube de Ténis do Estoril in Cascais and with Richard Gasquet, Nicolas Almagro, Pablo Carreno Busta and Joao Sousa as the winners so far. The 2019 edition will take place between April 29 - May 5 and the organizers have announced a silhouette of the first player they signed and there is no doubt it belongs to the 20-year-old Greek Stefanos Tsitispas, world number 15 and the last year's semi-finalist in Estoril! Super talented Greek had a season to remember, playing in three ATP finals and lifting the maiden title in Stockholm when he defeated Ernests Gulbis in the final.
In addition, Stefanos claimed the NextGen Masters in Milan after scoring five wins, finishing the season on 46 triumphs and setting even higher goals for 2019, starting it from the top-20. ATP Most Improved Player of the Year has become the youngest player who scored four top-10 wins, saving two match points against Alexander Zverev and another one versus Kevin Anderson to reach the final in Toronto as the youngest Masters 1000 finalist since Novak Djokovic in 2007! Nadal beat him in both Barcelona and Toronto but it was an exceptional season for the Athens native, especially when we know he had only four ATP wins prior to 2018.
Stefanos made an impressive debut in Estoril as well, beating Pablo Andujar before scoring a great win over Kevin Anderson in three sets. In the quarters, Tsitsipas outplayed Roberto Carballes Baena after a grueling battle that lasted for more than two and a half hours, dropping the opening set in the tie break before raising his level in set number two, bringing it home with a hold at love at 5-2 to force a decider. The Spaniard had game points to move 4-1 up in the decider but Stefanos broke back to stay in contention, breaking again to serve for the win at 5-4.
Roberto broke back to prolong the match and he led 3-0 in the deciding tie break before Tstispas bounced back to win seven straight points and reach the second consecutive ATP semi-final. There, he fought great against the home star Joao Sousa, winning the second set 6-1 and staying in touch in set number three as well before losing it in the tie break. Stefanos will kick off the 2019 campaign at the Hopman Cup and Sydney before heading to the Australian Open where he will be among the dark horses if he brings his 'A game.'
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2zWDZe9
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