ATP Paris: Ugo Humbert stuns Stefanos Tsitsipas in a thriller. Berrettini bows out

Heading to Paris with two Masters 1000 wins on his tally, the 22-year-old Frenchman Ugo Humbert delivered two tight triumphs to reach the third round at home event. In the first match, Ugo prevailed over Casper Ruud in the deciding tie break, working even harder against the 2nd seed Stefanos Tsitsipas on Tuesday night. After three hours and 16 minutes of grueling tennis, Humbert toppled the coeval 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, earning the second top-10 triumph and prevailing in the most extended match in Paris this week. As the result suggests, nothing could separate the rivals, with Tsitsipas winning two points more than his opponent. The Greek saved three match points in the second set tie break, but it wasn't enough to carry him through, losing the deciding breaker for the third straight Masters 1000 loss after Cincinnati and Rome. Ugo had 46 winners and 53 unforced errors, leaving Stefanos on a 38-46 ratio and prevailing in crucial moments to enter the last 16.

Tsitsipas held at love in the first game and grabbed a break a few minutes later following a backhand error from the Frenchman to settle into an early advantage. Ugo broke back at love in game five thanks to a loose forehand from the 2nd seed and fended off four break chances in the next one to level the score at 3-3. Tsitsipas saved two break points in game 11 to reach a tie break that Humbert won 7-5 with a service winner after 59 minutes. There were no breaks of serve in set number two, with two break chances saved by Humbert in games five and seven and no less than four by Tsitsipas at 3-4, three with winners.

Top-10 stars Stefanos Tsitsipas and Matteo Berrettini lost in R2 in Paris.

Ugo landed a perfect volley winner at 5-3 in the tie break to earn three match points, denied by Stefanos who rattled off five straight points to steal the breaker 8-6 and deliver a decider. The Frenchman broke in the first game to forge the advantage, losing it after a loose drop shot in game six to bring the Greek back on the scoreboard.

Having almost nothing left in the tank, Ugo fired a forehand down the line winner at 6-3 in the deciding tie break to seal the deal and wrap up another hard-fought victory for his best Masters 1000 result. In another thriller that went to Wednesday, a qualifier Marcos Giron secured the first top-10 triumph, ousting the 7th seed Matteo Berrettini 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 in two hours and 50 minutes, sending the Italian away from the ATP Finals battle. Berrettini gave his best despite not playing at 100%, winning five points more but finishing on the losing side. Marcos won the opening set tie break after 12 commanding holds on each side, with back-to-back breaks in games seven and eight of set number two. Matteo stood strong in the tie break to win it 7-0, gathering a boost ahead of the final set. Giron had to dig deep to remain in touch, fending off six break chances in games one and seven and earning a late break at 6-5 to move over the top and celebrate a career-best triumph at 27. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Gw2BBe