MARSEILLE: Stefanos Tsitsipas defended an ATP Tour title for the first time, outlasting Canadian rising star Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-4 to win his second trophy at Open 13 Provence in Marseille.
Auger-Aliassime, however, has to wait for his maiden ATP title after two final defeats in as many weeks. The 19-year-old teenager lost to French star Gael Monfils one week ago in Rotterdam’s final.
The second seed and world number six broke for three times and saved four of five break points to take the victory in 86 minutes.
“I played a good quality of tennis today and I showed everyone what I am capable of,” Tsitsipas said, “Serving well returning well, just being there being every single ball, executing, dominating and being clever in my decision-making”.
After a stellar performance in last year’s ATP Tour Finals in London, where he went all the way to the final and beat Austrian Dominic Thiem to lift the trophy, the Greek young gunner Tsitsipas has undergone a slow start in the new season, arriving in Marseille with a 3-4 losing record.
“I am proud of the fact that mentally I didn’t even crack, not once,” said the 21-year-old, “I didn’t crack when I was under pressure.”
Despite the defeat in the final, the fifth time in his career, Auger-Aliassime also had an impressive week in the Southern France city, saving five match points on his way to stay to the last day.
“I feel disappointed. You never like losing finals, but now it has bee five so it is in my mind,” said Auger-Aliassime, “It is tough, but I think it is just going to make me a better player.”
The win also improved Tsitsipas’s head to head clashes againt Auger-Aliassime to a 2-2 tie, as the Greek has lost in the first two matches but emerged as the winners in the most recent two ones.
Tsitsipas collected 250 ATP points and received a prize money of 116,030 euros, while Auger-Aliassime got 150 points and 64,225 euros.
In the doubles final, Nicolas Mahut of France and Vasek Pospisil of Canada lifted their second ATP trophy since pairing just in three events. The French-Canadian duo beat Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Nikola Mektic of Croatia 6-3, 6-4 to secure the victory. – Agencies
