Tsitsipas vs Struff: Clash of Titans in Madrid Masters 2023 Quarterfinals
The Madrid Masters 1000 is currently underway, with some of the best tennis players in the world competing for the championship title. In the quarterfinals, we have a match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jan-Lennard Struff. The two players have had a good run in the tournament so far and are looking to advance to the next round.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, currently ranked world No. 5, has had an impressive season so far. He has won multiple titles and has been a consistent performer on the ATP tour. In the Madrid Open, he has had a tough draw, facing some strong opponents. In the third round, he faced off against Sebastian Baez and won in three sets.
In the fourth round, he faced Bernabe Zapata Miralles, who put up a good fight in the first set. The set saw five consecutive breaks of serve, with Tsitsipas finally coming out on top to lead 4-3. The 24-year-old then held serve to make it 5-3 and broke his opponent’s serve once again to clinch the set. The second set was more straightforward, with Tsitsipas dropping just one game to win the match 6-3, 6-1.
Jan-Lennard Struff, on the other hand, had a difficult start to the tournament. He lost in the qualifying rounds to Aslan Karatsev, but was given a second chance as a lucky loser. He made the most of this opportunity, winning three consecutive matches to reach the quarterfinals.
In the fourth round, he faced off against Pedro Cachin in a closely contested match. The duo remained unshakeable on serve during the first set, leading to a tie-break, which was won by Struff. The German trailed 4-1 in the second set, but managed to level the score and take the contest into yet another tie-break. Cachin played quite well in the tie-break to take the second set. However, he was unable to sustain the momentum. Struff raised his level in the third set and bagged the last four games of the match to win 7-6 (7), 6-7 (7), 6-3.
In terms of head-to-head, Tsitsipas leads Struff 3-2. However, their matches have always been closely contested, with all but one of their matches going to a deciding set. Tsitsipas won their previous encounter at the 2020 Vienna Open in three sets.
When it comes to their playing styles, Struff is a solid baseliner, with his backhand being more steady compared to the Greek. However, Tsitsipas’s backhand held up quite well in the previous round and he’ll be relying on it to work as effectively once again. Struff has been competing quite well on clay this season and will aim to continue his fairytale run in the Spanish capital.
Based on their history, this could be another encounter that goes down to the wire. However, given Tsitsipas’ big-match experience, he’s more likely to emerge victorious in this contest. If Struff manages to take the match to a deciding set,
