Muristek
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas returns the ball to Belarus' Ilja Ivashka at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Ahoy, Rotterdam February 10, 2022. — AFP pic
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ROTTERDAM, Feb 13 — Top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas reached his first final since last year’s French Open when he came back from a set down to defeat Czech qualifier Jiri Lehecka in the Rotterdam semi-finals on Saturday.
World number four Tsitsipas edged his 20-year-old rival 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 and will face Felix Auger-Aliassime for the title on Sunday.
Canadian third seed Auger-Aliassime defeated Russian second seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2.
“He was really pushing me,” said Greek star Tsitsipas of 20-year-old Lehecka, ranked at 137 in the world.
“I didn’t know what to expect, so I was trying to figure out his patterns and his game. He was playing incredibly well after the first serve, pressing and attacking like I had never seen before. I had to stay in the match and I managed to survive.”
Auger-Aliassime sealed victory over Rublev on the back of 41 winners, including 11 aces.
The 21-year-old will be looking to secure a maiden ATP title on Sunday having lost all of the eight finals he has contested in his career.
Tsitsipas boasts a 5-2 head-to-head record over the Canadian. — AFP