Stefanos Tsitsipas keeps Turin hopes alive with ‘critical’ Basel win | ATP Tour

Match Report

Tsitsipas keeps Turin hopes alive with ‘critical’ Basel win, Shelton sinks Wawrinka

Tsitsipas to face Fils, Shelton sets Rublev clash at ATP 500

October 24, 2024

Stefanos Tsitsipas seized the moment on Thursday to advance to his third quarter-final at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

In a nervy encounter, the third seed withstood the test posed by qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp to prevail 7-6(3), 7-5. Tsitsipas’ attacking prowess was on full display throughout the match, during which he won 76 per cent (16/21) of net points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“I had to stay calm in those tight moments, and it worked out pretty well,” said Tsitsipas, who improved to 7-2 in Basel. “There were a lot of tense moments in my last two matches, so I am trying to build up on that confidence, getting to play those pressure points the best I can.

“It became critical in a lot of moments. Despite winning the first set, he wasn’t really backing down, he wasn’t giving me the space I was looking for. I would say the second set was even more challenging and tough to play than the first one. [It was] an incredible game by myself at 5-5 [in the second set], I managed those points with some great athleticism and defended well.”

Stef is rising to the occasion 🦸

Make that a third Basel quarter-final for @steftsitsipas!#SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/ox91KYpJpE

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 24, 2024

The Greek was pushed in two tight sets, but held his nerve to secure a spot in his fourth hard-court quarter-final of 2024. Tsitsipas’ run in Basel is welcome in his bid to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. The 26-year-old is currently 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, trailing eight-placed Andrey Rublev by 745 points.

Tsitsipas dropped serve in the opening game but wasted little time in reclaiming it in the second before pulling to an unassailable 5/0 lead in the tie-break. Van de Zandschulp stood firm in the second set to stay within touching distance, though he was unable to convert the single break point he created.

Applying further pressure in the 11th game with some blistering groundstrokes, Tsitsipas dismantled the Dutchman’s serve before serving out the one-hour and 46-minute victory with ease.

After improving to 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, Tsitsipas will face #NextGenATP Arthur Fils for a place in the last four. The 20-year-old, who is first in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, muscled his way past Pedro Martinez 7-5, 6-3.  

In the top half of the draw, sixth seed Ben Shelton put an end to Stan Wawrinka’s fairytale run on home soil. The American surged to a 7-6(2), 7-5 victory, booking a spot in his 13th tour-level quarter-final.

“I was happy with the way I defended my break points,” said Shelton, who saved 5/5 in the match. “Being clutch in the big moments is what won me the match today.

“We were joking in the locker room before the match that he [Wawrinka] has been on the Tour as long as I have lived. He has a lot of experience out here, he’s done a lot of incredible things for our sport, especially here in Switzerland.”

Shelton struck 20 forehand winners enroute to setting up a quarter-final clash with top seed Rublev, who eased past Alejandro Tabilo on Wednesday evening.