Stefanos Tsitsipas falls short in Basel, complicating ATP finals qualification

Stefanos Tsitsipas: Out of the Top Four in Basel, Qualification for ATP Finals Complicated – Video
Stefanos Tsitsipas was eliminated 2-0 in sets by Arthur Fils.

Stefanos Tsitsipas could not overcome the obstacle of Arthur Fils, remaining out of the semifinals in Basel.
Fils defeated Tsitsipas 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors in Basel, securing the first ticket for tomorrow’s semifinals.
The 20-year-old Frenchman was very strong, proving once again today that he is in excellent shape. The first set was very close, and neither player managed to break serve; however, Fils seemed to have a slight edge throughout.

This was because he was the only player to reach a breakpoint, doing so 4 times. He first threatened in the 6th game (2-3, 30-40), later in the 8th (3-4, 40-A), and had double set points in the 10th (4-5, 15-40).

Tsitsipas managed to rise to the occasion in all instances, sending the set to a tie-break under immense pressure. However, he could not do more at that point, as Fils achieved a mini-break at a very critical moment, gaining a new double break point at 6-4. This time he also had a set point on his own serve, the 4th overall in the set, which he converted to take the first set.

In the second set, the break finally came for the young Frenchman, the only break in the match, allowing him to take a 3-2 lead and paving the way to victory. The 20-year-old remained impressive with his serve, not losing a single point in his next two service games, and in the 9th game, he “locked in” the victory with another break after 1 hour and 23 minutes of play.

Fils advanced to his 5th semifinal of the season and will be seeking his 3rd final qualification for 2024 tomorrow, following wins at the Hamburg 500 and Tokyo 500 events. He was victorious in both tournaments.

Tsitsipas missed the opportunity to gain more points in the Race to Turin and will remain in 12th place, with only one tournament left, the Masters in Bercy. He remains “alive” in the race for ATP Finals qualification, but his chances are greatly diminished, and he may play his last match of 2024 in Paris.

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