ATP roundup: Ruud upsets Djokovic to set up Tsitsipas Monte Carlo final clash

Casper Ruud defeated top seed Novak Djokovic 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 in a thrilling Monte Carlo Masters semi-final on Saturday, avenging his loss in last year's French Open final and setting up a title clash with two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Greek Tsitsipas defeated second seed Jannik Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the first semi-final.

Norwegian Ruud, who had lost all five previous meetings with Djokovic, broke twice early in the first set before the Serbian record 24-time Grand Slam champion rallied in the second.

Ruud, the eighth seed, held his nerve as Djokovic made five unforced errors, giving him a 3-0 lead in the decider, and he calmly closed out the victory.

"This is a day I will remember for a long time. Beating a world number one is something I have never done," Ruud said in a post-match interview.

"You know how good these guys are under pressure... he saved so many break points. I was praying, please, let it be a double fault or something. And maybe someone was listening."

Sinner, who won the Australian Open this year, rallied in the second set after falling behind Tsitsipas in the first. He was up 4-3 in the decider when leg cramps forced him to take a medical timeout.

The 22-year-old Italian persevered but was no match for Tsitsipas, who won the next three games to secure victory.

"It was tennis at the highest level that I have been able to play," Tsitsipas said.

"He is one of the toughest opponents I have faced so far... to find a way when there were not many, I am extremely proud of that."

Tsitsipas' victory over Sinner propelled him back into the top ten of the world rankings after dropping out for the first time since 2019 earlier this year.

SportsLigue