Stefanos Tsitsipas survives first-round scare in five-set win over Munar

·

World number six Stefanos Tsitsipas clawed his way back from two sets down to beat little-known Jaume Munar 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-4 6-4 and survive a French Open first round scare on Tuesday.

Tsitsipas, a losing finalist in Hamburg on Sunday, looked to be cruising through the first set after breaking the Spanish clay court specialist at the start to go 3-1 up.

But his lead eroded as did his concentration and Munar countered the Greek’s power with some superb baseline winners to race back and win the first set 6-4.

Tennis – French Open – Roland Garros, Paris, France – September 29, 2020 Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas reacts during his first round match against Spain’s Jaume Munar REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Fifth-seed Tsitsipas, who lost in his first game at the Italian Open earlier this month, started crumbling under pressure, littering the court with dozens of unforced errors.

Trailing by two sets Tsitsipas buckled down, cutting back his mistakes and playing on his opponent’s weaker backhand.

He pulled a set back when Munar pushed a backhand into the net and kept up the pressure to level.

The pair traded blows in the fifth before Tsitsipas bagged a key break when Munar sent a forehand long.

The 22-year-old then finished off the contest with his first match point to win the battle after three hours and 12 minutes, another forehand error by the Spaniard handing him victory.

Sourced By: Reuters

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Dr Christos Theologos: ‘Dance keeps us bound to our roots, from Chios to Sydney’

As part of the Zeibekiko Festival Australia, respected folklorist Dr Christos Theologos will lead a series of lectures and workshops.

South Melbourne turns to supporters ahead of Australian Championship kick-off

The opening clash of the Australian Championship will be an event shaped by the voices of the fans themselves.

Low birth rates and ageing: The silent enemy of the Greek nation

From the late 1990s it had become clear to Greek demographers and social scientists that the number of births in Greece was falling.

Peta Trimis: The new star of Australian football with a Hellenic soul

At just 19 years old, Peta Trimis is already being hailed as one of the brightest young stars of Australian football.

A second chance at life: Angelo Alateras’ journey from mechanical heart to transplant hope

After years on life support, 80kgs lost, and 615 days of physio, Angelo finally received the gift of a new heart.

You May Also Like

Former NRL captain John Sutton teams with Anthony Andrews in race for Randwick councillor

“Anthony has been a long[-term] councillor in this area ... so I’m glad I get to run with him," former Rabbitohs coach John Sutton said.

Six Greek Australian ‘old blokes’ complete road trip for a cancer cure

Six Greek Australians and Sydney-based car enthusiasts – who call themselves ‘old blokes’ – completed their five-day road trip for cancer.

Erdogan says Turkey will claim its rights in East Med

Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, issued new threats against Greece referring indirectly to Kastellorizo during a speech on Monday.