Tennis – ATP Stockholm Open – Men’s Single Final – Stockholm, Sweden – October 21 2018. Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece poses with his trophy next to Sweden’s Prince Daniel after winning the ATP Stockholm Open tennis tournament men’s single final against Ernests Gulbis of Latvia (not pictured). TT News Agency/Soren Andersson/via REUTERS
October 21, 2018
(Reuters) – Greek 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas added another notch to a remarkable breakthrough season as he beat Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis 6-4 6-4 to win the Stockholm Open and claim a maiden ATP title on Sunday.
Tsitsipas, who has rocketed up the rankings to 16th heading into Stockholm, made up for losing two finals this year by outplaying Gulbis in straight sets.
It was a clinical display by Tsitsipas who converted the two break points that came his way while offering precious little chance for Gulbis to threaten.
Tsitsipas began the year just inside the world’s top 100 with only four Tour-level wins to his name but has matured into a one of the sport’s most dangerous newcomers.
In August at the Rogers Cup in Toronto he became the youngest player to beat four top 10 opponents at a single event since the ATP World Tour began in 1990, eventually losing to Rafa Nadal in the final.
A few months earlier in Barcelona he became the first Greek man to reach an ATP Final since 1973.
He has already qualified for the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan next month.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Clare Lovell)
