May 9, 2024
Miami Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas exposes ridiculous tennis reality, loses to Karen Khachanov

Stefanos Tsitsipas has uncovered a “dangerous” fact players confront as a result of a greatly overlooked portion of the ATP Tour regulations.

The Greek star was on Wednesday morning knocked out of the Miami Open, acquiring entered the celebration complaining of injuries.

The earth No. 3 has been troubled by a shoulder harm in modern weeks and has been on a miserable run of type given that the Australian Open.

The No. 2 seed was removed by Karen Khachanov, who has moved by to the quarter-finals. It was the Russian’s very first job victory over Tsitsipas, possessing lost their preceding 6 conferences. It was also Khachanov’s initially get about a leading 10 opponent given that 2019.

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Tsitsipas experienced to wait around a week for his initially contest in Miami, beating Chilean Cristian Garin on Monday, but he arrived unstuck towards Khachanov, shedding 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

Tsitsipas’ opinions right after the gain over Garin were being telling.

He mentioned the only explanation he was enjoying the match was due to the fact he feared getting penalised by the ATP Tour if he skipped the event.

“There’s an ATP rule if you never perform in a Masters 1000, they acquire absent your very best 1000 consequence of very last year,” Tsitsipas said, according to Tennis Channel commentator Prakash Amritraj.

“You simply cannot add details. I experienced to engage in. You also get fined. It is discouraging to have to consider about this on top of your injuries.”

Below ATP Tour laws, commitment players (those people gamers rated in the top 30) are required to be readily available to enjoy all Masters-quality tournaments — until hurt.

Gamers face a assortment of punishments for skipping functions and threat even further penalties “for not staying in superior standing” with the Tour.

It is why Tsitsipas was so determined to compete in Miami and at Indian Wells previously this thirty day period out of panic of acquiring ranking points taken away.

According to the Tennis Channel’s Gil Gross, Tsitsipas’ workforce feared the ATP Tour hitting the star with the decline of his greatest Masters final result — even imagined it was not likely the Tour would look for to use these kinds of a substantial penalty.

Tennis commentator Bastien Fachan wrote on Twitter the necessary participation at 1000-degree situations is “ridiculous and dangerous” for gamers.

The policies for gamers currently being equipped to cut down their dedication to participating in in Masters-stage events is only applicable to gamers who have played 600 matches, or have been on the circuit for 12 a long time, or are older than 30.

Tsitsipas has now missing four of his earlier six matches.

Earth selection one Carlos Alcaraz, in the meantime, has received 17 of his past 18 matches.

The Spaniard billed into the quarter-finals with a convincing 6-3, 6-3 victory in excess of Tommy Paul.

Alcaraz, the defending Miami winner and also the winner at Indian Wells earlier this month, will facial area one more American in the final eight when he comes up against Taylor Fritz.

Paul came into the match obtaining received his last 12 encounters with Spanish gamers, which includes wins over Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal past 12 months, but he was unable to get a foothold in the contest.

It was the ninth straight victory for the 19-12 months-aged Spaniard.

“I moved effectively and defended effectively and I counter-attacked and I assume if I perform at that exact amount I will have a large amount of probabilities to get as a result of,” mentioned Alcaraz.

“I experience at residence below. It is uncomplicated to perform here in Miami with all the power I acquire every working day.”

In a clash of prime-10 players, American Fritz defeated Denmark’s Holger Rune 6-3, 6-4 to get to to the last 8 in Miami for the initially time in his career.

— with AFP