There have been few true challenges for Stefanos Tsitsipas at Toronto’s National Bank Open this year.
Sure, Ugo Humbert of France forced the Greek No. 3 seed into a third set with an extended tiebreak in the second round, but Tsitsipas has been a dominant force on the court all week, winning each subsequent match in straight sets.
He clinched his spot in the semifinals on Friday with a solid 6-1, 6-4 win over No. 6 seed Casper Ruud.
“Every single opponent that I’ve had to face is someone that has played good in the past and has the level to face me straight. And I’ve dealt with these situations really well,” Tsitsipas told reporters after the match.
Ruud, the world No. 12, came into Friday on a 14-match win streak, having collected recent victories at tournaments in Austria, Switzerland and Sweden.
Success on Canadian soil is nothing new to Tsitsipas. He made it to the finals of the tournament formerly known as the National Bank Open in 2018, losing to Rafael Nadal.
He noted, though, that a place in this year’s finals is no guarantee.
“I still have a few more matches to go, so not much to compare there, honestly. I’m happy where my game is at right now,” said the world No. 3, who turned 23 on Thursday.
“Obviously I’m excited for what’s to come. And I’m always, every single day, trying to come up with solutions and ways this is going to be easier and more efficient for me.”
Tsitsipas jumped out to an early 5-0 lead over Ruud on Friday, winning 2-of-3 break points and 84 per cent of his service points in a brisk 23-minute first set.
The Norwegian battled back in the second, holding serve and keeping pace with his opponent’s repeated drop shots until Tsitsipas finally broke him with a shot down the line to take a 5-4 lead.
Tsitsipas finished off the one-hour, 14-minute match with an ace, his eighth of the day.
On Saturday, he’ll take on American qualifier Reilly Opelka, who edged No. 10 seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-3, 7-6(1) on Friday.
Top-seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia was scheduled to take on Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, the No. 7 seed, in a quarterfinal matchup later on Friday. American John Isner and No. 11 seed Gael Monfils of France were set to meet in the nightcap.
Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka, both of Belarus, kicked off the quarterfinals at the women’s tournament in Montreal on Friday, with the No. 1 seed Sabalenka taking a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Sabalenka, the world No. 3, went down 4-2 in the second set before winning four games in a row, and had seven aces across the one-hour, 19-minute match.
“I had some opportunities in that game. I didn’t take them,” said Azarenka, the tournament’s No. 8 seed. “I feel I just didn’t take my opportunities. It’s as simple as that.”
Sabalenka will play either No. 4 seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic or Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo in Saturday’s semifinals.
Friday’s other quarterfinal action was set to pit Italy’s Camila Giorgi against No. 15 seed Cori Gauff of the U.S. Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur — who bested Canada’s Bianca Andreescu in third-round action on Thursday — was scheduled to face American qualifier Jessica Pegula in the final match of the day.
No Canadian singles players made it through to the tournament’s quarterfinals, but Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski and doubles partner Luisa Stefani of Brazil will look to secure a spot in the semifinals when they face top seeds Sabalenka and Elise Mertens of Germany.
