I had breakfast did a load of laundry and then settled down to watch this really amazing live tennis match....
A nerveless Stefanos Tsitsipas came from a set down to beat Dominic Thiem on a thrilling final-set tie-break and become the youngest winner of the ATP Finals in 18 years.
The Greek, 21, won 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 7-6 (7-4) to claim the biggest title of his fledgling career.
Thiem, 26, who edged a tight first set, fell away in the second and the start of the third before fighting back.
But Tsitsipas forced a tie-break, and then won it, at a raucous O2 Arena.
He collapsed to the floor after Thiem put a forehand return out on the first match point before the pair embraced at the end of a two-hour 35-minute battle, with the Greek kissing his beaten opponent on the shoulder.
Tsitsipas is the youngest winner of the season-ending championships since Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in 2001 and claims prize money of just over £2m.
"It's been a rollercoaster. Holding this trophy is amazing," the world number six said.
"It is a dream come true and the best way to end this match.
"I did get nervous at some points in the match but I managed to forget about how I felt and I had momentum in the tie-break, which was really tight.
"My fighting spirit and me constantly trying to push myself to do better got me there in the end."
Tsitsipas and Thiem are good friends off the court and shared a warm embrace after the match
Tsitsipas broke the hearts of many in London on Saturday in knocking out six-time champion Roger Federer and a day later backed that up with a performance that showed why he is regarded as a player who will be one of those at the top of the game when the Swiss and the other current greats move on.
He had been the better player in the opening set only for Thiem to take it on a tie-break but when the Austrian's level dropped he was there to take advantage.
He did not panic and hit just one unforced error in the second set compared to eight from his opponent - going 4-0 ahead in 14 minutes and wrapping up the set soon after.
Tsitsipas' entertaining game - full of powerful forehands, laser-like serving and a stunning single-handed backhand - improved further at the start of the third set and he looked set to power on to the title.
But Thiem, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, broke back and levelled as his crunching groundstrokes returned.
In the tie-break Tsitsipas saw a 4-1 lead become 4-4 before he held his nerve to take the match with three straight points.
Unlike against Federer, the Greek had the backing of the majority of the spectators inside the arena and he celebrated with his fans long after the match had finished, taking selfies and signing autographs.
Can Tsitsipas go on after stellar year?
A year ago Tsitsipas was celebrating winning the NextGen tournament - the end-of-season event for the best players aged 21 and under.
He has now ended his breakthrough season by winning the biggest tournament outside the four Grand Slams and has done so with an entertaining style and exuberant personality that will bring him many fans.
He became the youngest Grand Slam semi-finalist in 12 years at the Australian Open in January, beating Federer along the way, and won two regular-season ATP titles as he climbed into the world's top 10.
The Greek is just the seventh man to win the season finale on his first appearance and the sixth-youngest winner in history.
He is the fourth new champion of the event in a row - following Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev - and will now aim to succeed where Zverev failed this year in turning success in London into a Grand Slam win.
"This year was the best year I've had and I want to constantly improve," Tsitsipas said.
"Things were great this year and I beat some top-ranked players which gave me confidence and I've won matches in Grand Slams and Masters 1000s. I think I can do well in the Slams.
Just going to have a quiet evening doing some Three Kings paper work and then watch a couple episodes of my new great show Suits on Netflix!!!
This is all the talk of the town this weekend!!!
Evo Morales with the Mexican flag.
It was revealed on Thursday Nov. 14th by local media, that the former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, could live his exile in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
Authorities of Mexico would have proposed at least five destinations, some of them on the coast and 2 in the “Bajío” region, Querétaro was one of them, however Morales would have preferred San Miguel de Allende, according to a statement made by the federal PAN representative, Sergio Ascencio Barba.
“Morales will reside in San Miguel de Allende, it’s a shame, since it is such an expensive city to live in.”
Amid the controversy generated by the political asylum offered by the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, criticisms have increased after knowing that Evo Morales will enjoy an escort of 10 agents from the National Guard, some of them members of the security staff of former President Enrique Peña (Estado Mayor Presidencial), as well as a generous “monthly tuition” of 150 thousand pesos.
We will have to wait for the confirmation of these versions, the truth is that from his first day of exile in our country, Evo Morales was transferred in a caravan with 3 armored trucks and motorcycles, among other security measures that were not seen in Mexico City during the AMLO administration.
Is this fair to the people of Mexico? Give a life pension of 150 thousand pesos a month to a person who had to flee his country where he is accused of being a dictator? Give him protection and residence in one of the most expensive cities in Mexico? Is the people of Mexico willing to allow this outrage?
Is this a decision that AMLO consulted with the people? Of course not!!!
Yashi Kochi!
2 comments:
Who says crime doesn't pay?
Right on,,,,,,,les
Post a Comment