Alcaraz Stages Comeback; Tsitsipas Exits Monte Carlo Masters

MONACO (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz mounted a remarkable comeback against Arthur Fils on Friday, while defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

World No. 3 Alcaraz was on the brink of defeat, being five points away from losing the second set and trailing 3-1 in the final set. However, he persevered and emerged victorious with a score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, after a grueling 2 1/2 hour match.

Fils, who was competing in his third consecutive Masters quarterfinal, struggled with consistency, committing 53 unforced errors during the match. Alcaraz expressed relief after the challenging match, saying, “I have missed clay.” His victory marks his first semifinal appearance in Monte Carlo, where he will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the 2022 runner-up.

Davidovich Fokina secured his place in the semifinals by defeating Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-2. The two Spaniards have not faced each other on tour for two years.

In contrast, Tsitsipas, a three-time Monte Carlo champion, could not capitalize on his initial success against Lorenzo Musetti. He started strong, winning the first set 6-1 but faltered thereafter. Tsitsipas struggled with his serve, managing fewer than half of his first serves and recording seven double faults, which contributed to his downfall as Musetti won the last two sets 6-3, 6-4.

“It’s difficult to accept,” Tsitsipas stated after the match. “I mean, feeling so confident playing on this court and not being able to win a match that I felt I kind of had every reason to… is definitely heartbreaking.” Musetti was visibly emotional after his win, shedding tears of joy.

Musetti will next face Alex de Minaur, who reached the semifinals on clay for the first time in three years after a stunning performance against Grigor Dimitrov, winning 6-0, 6-0 in just 44 minutes. Dimitrov’s struggles were compounded by an astounding 23 unforced errors.