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Stefanos Tsitsipas compounded his loss to Andrey Rublev with a stinging shot. 
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, November 18, 2022

Andrey Rublev delivered an immaculate final set to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas and secure a spot in his first ATP Finals semifinal.

Tsitsipas served up the snark afterward dissing Rublev's "few tools."

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With a semifinal spot on the line, Rublev served 74 percent and won 16 of 19 service points in the decider defeating Tsitsipas 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in Turin today.

The victory vaults Rublev into tomorrow's semifinals against US Open finalist Casper Ruud.

The second-seeded Tsitsipas imploded late in the match dropping two of his last three service games and seemingly belting a ball toward his parents in the support box at one point.

SF BOOKED! 🔥@AndreyRublev97 defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas 3-6 6-3 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/6FveZPx4ie

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 18, 2022

Still, Tsitsipas turned the first question of his post-match presser into tool time suggesting Rublev is a player with limited weapons and implying the better player lost.

"It's a shame. I feel like the better player," Tsitsipas said. "I felt like I could do more with the ball today. I felt like I could just be much more creative. I don't even have to say that. I think it's quite obvious.

"But, yeah, he prevailed with the few tools that he has. He was able to really take advantage of them and win today."

While it's not quite on the level of John McEnroe's bold dismissal of Ivan Lendl's ability—"I have more talent in my little finger than he has in his entire body," Mac once said of Lendl—it is a clear shot from a frustrated Tsitsipas.

Asked his reaction to Tsitsipas' parting shot, Rublev offered a measured response.

The seventh-ranked Rublev said while the Greek is "obviously [the] better player because he's higher ranked" if you assess their games shot-by-shot—and head-to-head record—their weapons are more equal than Tsitsipas suggests.

"I don't know if I have few tools or not. If we go shot by shot, I think his backhand is better than mine. His forehand is not better than mine," Rublev replied. "The speed [first] serve is not better than mine. He's faster. He play much better than it. If we go for best shot, I don't think…

"Obviously he's better player because he's higher ranked and he achieved better results. It's obvious. There is no doubt. But I don't think that I beat him because of few tools. If you take our match, every match, we have tough battles. This year I lost to him twice in three sets, and now I beat him in three sets."

The former junior world No. 1 pair have known each other since they were teenagers.

While it's true Tsitsipas has shown more all-court acumen and sharper net skills than the Russian, Rublev is a powerhouse baseline blaster, who can take the ball early and do damage off both wings.

Tsitsipas successfully used the serve-and-volley in his victory over Daniil Medvedev, but said given Rublev stands closer to the baseline and hits it harder than the 2021 US Open champion he didn't deploy the tactic frequently today. 

The third-ranked Greek is out of Turin, but his season may not be done yet. Tsitsipas said he plans to play a Challenger in France next week and has a clear pre-season goal: Improve his return game.

"My goal for the pre-season is going to be perhaps a bit more consistent with my returns because I think if I'm able to improve on that aspect of my game, I can do more damage," Tsitsipas said.

Photo credit: Giampiero Sposito/Getty

The 21-time major champion is showing his steel down the stretch in Turin.By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday, November 18, 2022

Novak Djokovic was in a state of suffering on Friday in Turin. As it turns out, it was just a little fatigue.

Have you 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 seen Novak Djokovic struggling like this before?! 🥵 #NittoATPFinals

(via 📹 @TennisTV) pic.twitter.com/aXZdaFMCf3

— Eurosport (@eurosport) November 18, 2022

Though it might have looked like he was on the verge of a physical breakdown during the above changeover, Djokovic assured reporters that he was just feeling the mental and physical fatigue that comes with a hair-raising battle.

“There was a lot of different things,” Djokovic said after defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(2) on Friday . “But I'm not going to go into details about it because I just don't feel it's a place for me to share that because why would I? I don't want to reveal what I'm going through exactly to my opponents.

“Everyone has one of those days where they struggle more physically. For me that was today. I'm very proud to be able to find a way.”

Was the 21-time major champion pushed to his limit?

“I don't think that a limit exists,” he said. “It's really in your head. It's really about perspective and approach and your perception of how you see things in that given moment.”

The 35-year-old believes that the mind can help the body overpower fatigue, and his performance against Medvedev was a perfect example.

“The biggest battle, as I've said before, is always the inner battle,” he said. “If you manage to find yourself in that optimal state of mind and body as often as you possibly can, I feel you can extract the best and reap the best results for yourself in every moment, every point, every match.”

Djokovic will need to recover quickly for Saturday’s semifinals. He will face Taylor Fritz in the semis and will need to win on three consecutive days if he is to finish the season by claiming his sixth ATP Finals title.

It's a challenge he isn't worried about…

“I'm not the freshest guy right now talking to you as I was maybe yesterday,” he said, before adding that the thrill of victory might actually give him energy rather than take it away.

“I feel that every big win against one of the best players in the world, particularly Medvedev in these conditions, can only boost your confidence,” he said.

“On the physical side, I'm not worried because, I mean, worry just depletes you of the vital energy you need. If something happens tomorrow in a good or bad way, it happens and I have to deal with it then tomorrow. I'm going to do everything I possibly can today with my physio, with myself, with my team in order to get the good rest, the good recovery. I have things that have always been part of my routine. I know what I need to do.

“I've had many cases in my life before where I managed to recover very quickly. Hopefully that's going to be the case again.”