Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-3 in the Monte Carlo final, 2021 on clay
It was Tsitsipas’ first Masters title and and first of to date 3 titles at the event. He would be runner-up at the French Open shortly afterwards. Rublev would go onto win the title in 2023
Tsitsipas won 59 points, Rublev 42
Serve Stats
Tsitsipas...
- 1st serve percentage (28/47) 60%
- 1st serve points won (24/28) 86%
- 2nd serve points won (13/19) 68%
- Aces 3
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/47) 32%
Rublev...
- 1st serve percentage (30/54) 56%
- 1st serve points won (24/30) 80%
- 2nd serve points won (8/24) 33%
- Aces 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (13/54) 24%
Serve Patterns
Tsitsipas served...
- to FH 39%
- to BH 59%
- to Body 2%
Rublev served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 63%
- to Body 4%
Return Stats
Tsitsipas made...
- 41 (31 FH, 10 BH), including 17 runaround FHs
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (4 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 6 Forced (1 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (41/54) 76%
Rublev made...
- 31 (15 FH, 16 BH), including 4 runaround FHs
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (3 FH, 5 BH)
- 4 Forced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (31/46) 67%
Break Points
Tsitsipas 3/3
Rublev 0
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Tsitsipas 15 (11 FH, 4 BH)
Rublev 9 (6 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV)
Tsitsipas' FHs - 1 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 1 dtl, 3 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl, 3 inside-in, 1 inside-in/cc
- BHs - 3 dtl (2 passes - 1 slice at net), 1 drop shot
Rublev's FHs - 1 cc, 1 inside-out, 3 inside-in, 1 drop shot
- BH passes - 1 cc, 1 dtl
- the FHV was a swinging non-net shot
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Tsitsipas 19
- 12 Unforced (6 FH, 6 BH)
- 7 Forced (5 FH, 2 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7
Rublev 29
- 22 Unforced (9 FH, 11 BH, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
- 7 Forced (4 FH, 3 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.7
(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Tsitsipas was 3/5 (60%) at net
Rublev was 3/7 (43%) at net
Match Report
Simple match. Tsitsipas servs strongly and his FH fires. Rublev has power off the ground, but his movements are off, including on the return
The difficulty both players have returning stands out. Even Rublev has a good first serve (Tsis’ is even bigger). Both players return from well back (Rublev more from necessity). Both struggle to return cleanly
In Rublev’s case, that’s enhanced with poor movement, which extends to his groundies. His first step is slow, often leaving him behind the curve to get into position
Just pace of serves seems too much for Rublev in particular to handle. If understandable, because Tsis has a very powerful serve, but straining expected standard for Monte Carlo final
Most of that applies to Tsis too, but he’s facing a less powerful serve and his footwork is fine. Constantly runsaround to play FH returns. Makes 17 such shots - he returns 31 FHs to just 10 BHs, despite Rublev directing 63% serves to BH. Not a weak second serve from Rublev, but Tsis returning from well back to maximize time to see ball
Unreturnds - Tsis 32%, Rublev 24%
At 56% in count, that’s a good figure for Rublev. Good first serve, but Tsis’ struggles to get it into play at all, despite being well back and not looking to do much with the return shot (he doesn’t even do much with runaround FH second returns) is not good
Tsis’ count is excellent. On top of troubling wide stuff, in-swing zone stuff is good to draw errors, often mishit ones
Just a lot of badly timed first return errors by both players. To watch them return, you’d think court was lightning fast
Action is virtually entirely baseline, with 2 players combining for 12 approaches
Tsis’ FH stars - neutrally able, defensively good and often lethal from even ordinary positions (almost flawlessly so when looking to finish). Rublev has power off both sides but again, is slow on first step
Rublev hitting powerful cc shots off both wings and changing up longline (also powerfully). Powerfully enough to test shot resistance as well as consistency. More longline shots off the BH than FH, and Tsis FH defence is good enough
Nice, running, sliding ‘get’ FHs from Tsis with something extra; he strikes the ball when he gets to it, doesn’t just poke it back like the classic clay ‘get’. Better than a poke, but Rublev still should be able to stay on top of the point. He often isn’t or misses follow-up, pressuring-cum-attacking power hits
Tsis is powerful FH, steady BH game by contrast. Covers the BH and is successful in being steady off that side. Doesn’t give up weak balls off it either. FH is most powerful shot out there. Lethal, almost perfect on the finish, and quite capable of coming out with a clean winner from routine position too. Doesn’t over do going for such shots
Helped by Rublev’s slow movement, which isn’t upto standard. A step behind right at the start, and that leaves him straining to reach balls comfortably for rest of rally. You could say his first step is just not upto standard to deal with power on show (which is very good)
In numbers -
Tsis with match high 11 FH winners (Rublev has 9 total) and 11 total errors (6 UEs, 5 FEs). UEs are low (Rublev has 9) and he defends well to keep the FEs down. High winners is just very good stuff and in all directions - 2 cc based, 4 inside-out based, 4 inside-in based
BH staying steady with joint match low 6 UEs. It just doesn’t seem to be on show much, with Rub playing BH longlines to moderately attack, but not FHs. Handles itself in the cc rallies just fine - less powerful, but not soft and not giving up weak balls. And Rub not persisting with BH cc’s. Worth doing, since Tsis FH is so very strong
Not bad approach from Rublev despite that. He is powerful enough to be pressuring. 22 UEs (9 FH, 3 BH) though, is bad continuity with it
Attacking and Winner Attempt UEs - Tsis 6, Rub 12. With Rub’s neutral shot also edging towards attackingly wide or deep or otherwise intended to draw weak balls (if not end point)
For that matter, neutral UEs - Tsis 6, Rub 10. Would be worth it to draw weaker balls that he can attack but he a) doesn’t and b) isn’t able to captilize too well when he does. He’s ended 16 points aggressively for his 12 aggressive UEs, which is not good at all
Coming to net wouldn’t be much of an alternative for Rublev because he’s bad up there. Misses an OH and fails to putaway 2 others, Plonks volleys and misses 1. Just 3/7 at net and a picture of “uncomfortable at net”
Tsis has no reason to come in and doesn’t (he’s there 5 times, forced at least once). His BH is solid, his FH defensively good and otherwise lethal. And he’s getting a lot of freebies with the serve - why would he have to come in?
Match Progression
Couple of FH winners, an ace and 2 return errors drawn by Tsis as he holds deuce game to open. Then he breaks - moving to make runaround FH returns against all 3 second serves (1 to body, but he moves well over to play it), strikes another FH winners, Rubleve misses FH winner attempt amidst ball-bashing force. To wrap up, Tsis surprises Rub with a winning BH inside-out
Sans the inside-out, those 2 games could sum up the match for both players
Both players struggle to return. No more break points, Rub’s taken to deuce once. Tsis loses 2 service points in 4 further holds - 8/16 points he wins in them being unreturned serves
Rub holds deuce game to open second set. Misses an OH as Tsis evens up
And then Tsis breaks for 2-1 in a fine game. Ridiculous BH dtl passing winner from miles behind the baseline by Tsis to start, a perfect BH drop shot one later on and a wide enough runaround FH return to force error are among the points Tsis wins in the 8 point game
Again, he has no problems holding. Rub starts getting a bit loose with the errors
Tsis breaks again to end the match. Winning BH dtl by Tsis to start the game, after which Rub falters to lose the game to 15
Summing up, slightly odd match. The extent to which both players (especially Rublev) struggle to return is a bit surprising, despite powerful serving. Similar thing in ground rallies - impressive stock power off the ground from both players (Tsitipas off FH, with BH steady and not weak, Rublev off both wings), but below par in coping with it from Rublev
The loser’s problem is mostly that he reacts a little slowly with his first step and is than harried for rest of rally
Good showing from Tsitsipas - excellent FH, very good serve, well judged BH. A little more than that, a not good one from Rublev - powerful groundies, but can’t keep at it without missing and a bit slow
It was Tsitsipas’ first Masters title and and first of to date 3 titles at the event. He would be runner-up at the French Open shortly afterwards. Rublev would go onto win the title in 2023
Tsitsipas won 59 points, Rublev 42
Serve Stats
Tsitsipas...
- 1st serve percentage (28/47) 60%
- 1st serve points won (24/28) 86%
- 2nd serve points won (13/19) 68%
- Aces 3
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/47) 32%
Rublev...
- 1st serve percentage (30/54) 56%
- 1st serve points won (24/30) 80%
- 2nd serve points won (8/24) 33%
- Aces 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (13/54) 24%
Serve Patterns
Tsitsipas served...
- to FH 39%
- to BH 59%
- to Body 2%
Rublev served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 63%
- to Body 4%
Return Stats
Tsitsipas made...
- 41 (31 FH, 10 BH), including 17 runaround FHs
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (4 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 6 Forced (1 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (41/54) 76%
Rublev made...
- 31 (15 FH, 16 BH), including 4 runaround FHs
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (3 FH, 5 BH)
- 4 Forced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (31/46) 67%
Break Points
Tsitsipas 3/3
Rublev 0
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Tsitsipas 15 (11 FH, 4 BH)
Rublev 9 (6 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV)
Tsitsipas' FHs - 1 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 1 dtl, 3 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl, 3 inside-in, 1 inside-in/cc
- BHs - 3 dtl (2 passes - 1 slice at net), 1 drop shot
Rublev's FHs - 1 cc, 1 inside-out, 3 inside-in, 1 drop shot
- BH passes - 1 cc, 1 dtl
- the FHV was a swinging non-net shot
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Tsitsipas 19
- 12 Unforced (6 FH, 6 BH)
- 7 Forced (5 FH, 2 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7
Rublev 29
- 22 Unforced (9 FH, 11 BH, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
- 7 Forced (4 FH, 3 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.7
(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Tsitsipas was 3/5 (60%) at net
Rublev was 3/7 (43%) at net
Match Report
Simple match. Tsitsipas servs strongly and his FH fires. Rublev has power off the ground, but his movements are off, including on the return
The difficulty both players have returning stands out. Even Rublev has a good first serve (Tsis’ is even bigger). Both players return from well back (Rublev more from necessity). Both struggle to return cleanly
In Rublev’s case, that’s enhanced with poor movement, which extends to his groundies. His first step is slow, often leaving him behind the curve to get into position
Just pace of serves seems too much for Rublev in particular to handle. If understandable, because Tsis has a very powerful serve, but straining expected standard for Monte Carlo final
Most of that applies to Tsis too, but he’s facing a less powerful serve and his footwork is fine. Constantly runsaround to play FH returns. Makes 17 such shots - he returns 31 FHs to just 10 BHs, despite Rublev directing 63% serves to BH. Not a weak second serve from Rublev, but Tsis returning from well back to maximize time to see ball
Unreturnds - Tsis 32%, Rublev 24%
At 56% in count, that’s a good figure for Rublev. Good first serve, but Tsis’ struggles to get it into play at all, despite being well back and not looking to do much with the return shot (he doesn’t even do much with runaround FH second returns) is not good
Tsis’ count is excellent. On top of troubling wide stuff, in-swing zone stuff is good to draw errors, often mishit ones
Just a lot of badly timed first return errors by both players. To watch them return, you’d think court was lightning fast
Action is virtually entirely baseline, with 2 players combining for 12 approaches
Tsis’ FH stars - neutrally able, defensively good and often lethal from even ordinary positions (almost flawlessly so when looking to finish). Rublev has power off both sides but again, is slow on first step
Rublev hitting powerful cc shots off both wings and changing up longline (also powerfully). Powerfully enough to test shot resistance as well as consistency. More longline shots off the BH than FH, and Tsis FH defence is good enough
Nice, running, sliding ‘get’ FHs from Tsis with something extra; he strikes the ball when he gets to it, doesn’t just poke it back like the classic clay ‘get’. Better than a poke, but Rublev still should be able to stay on top of the point. He often isn’t or misses follow-up, pressuring-cum-attacking power hits
Tsis is powerful FH, steady BH game by contrast. Covers the BH and is successful in being steady off that side. Doesn’t give up weak balls off it either. FH is most powerful shot out there. Lethal, almost perfect on the finish, and quite capable of coming out with a clean winner from routine position too. Doesn’t over do going for such shots
Helped by Rublev’s slow movement, which isn’t upto standard. A step behind right at the start, and that leaves him straining to reach balls comfortably for rest of rally. You could say his first step is just not upto standard to deal with power on show (which is very good)
In numbers -
Tsis with match high 11 FH winners (Rublev has 9 total) and 11 total errors (6 UEs, 5 FEs). UEs are low (Rublev has 9) and he defends well to keep the FEs down. High winners is just very good stuff and in all directions - 2 cc based, 4 inside-out based, 4 inside-in based
BH staying steady with joint match low 6 UEs. It just doesn’t seem to be on show much, with Rub playing BH longlines to moderately attack, but not FHs. Handles itself in the cc rallies just fine - less powerful, but not soft and not giving up weak balls. And Rub not persisting with BH cc’s. Worth doing, since Tsis FH is so very strong
Not bad approach from Rublev despite that. He is powerful enough to be pressuring. 22 UEs (9 FH, 3 BH) though, is bad continuity with it
Attacking and Winner Attempt UEs - Tsis 6, Rub 12. With Rub’s neutral shot also edging towards attackingly wide or deep or otherwise intended to draw weak balls (if not end point)
For that matter, neutral UEs - Tsis 6, Rub 10. Would be worth it to draw weaker balls that he can attack but he a) doesn’t and b) isn’t able to captilize too well when he does. He’s ended 16 points aggressively for his 12 aggressive UEs, which is not good at all
Coming to net wouldn’t be much of an alternative for Rublev because he’s bad up there. Misses an OH and fails to putaway 2 others, Plonks volleys and misses 1. Just 3/7 at net and a picture of “uncomfortable at net”
Tsis has no reason to come in and doesn’t (he’s there 5 times, forced at least once). His BH is solid, his FH defensively good and otherwise lethal. And he’s getting a lot of freebies with the serve - why would he have to come in?
Match Progression
Couple of FH winners, an ace and 2 return errors drawn by Tsis as he holds deuce game to open. Then he breaks - moving to make runaround FH returns against all 3 second serves (1 to body, but he moves well over to play it), strikes another FH winners, Rubleve misses FH winner attempt amidst ball-bashing force. To wrap up, Tsis surprises Rub with a winning BH inside-out
Sans the inside-out, those 2 games could sum up the match for both players
Both players struggle to return. No more break points, Rub’s taken to deuce once. Tsis loses 2 service points in 4 further holds - 8/16 points he wins in them being unreturned serves
Rub holds deuce game to open second set. Misses an OH as Tsis evens up
And then Tsis breaks for 2-1 in a fine game. Ridiculous BH dtl passing winner from miles behind the baseline by Tsis to start, a perfect BH drop shot one later on and a wide enough runaround FH return to force error are among the points Tsis wins in the 8 point game
Again, he has no problems holding. Rub starts getting a bit loose with the errors
Tsis breaks again to end the match. Winning BH dtl by Tsis to start the game, after which Rub falters to lose the game to 15
Summing up, slightly odd match. The extent to which both players (especially Rublev) struggle to return is a bit surprising, despite powerful serving. Similar thing in ground rallies - impressive stock power off the ground from both players (Tsitipas off FH, with BH steady and not weak, Rublev off both wings), but below par in coping with it from Rublev
The loser’s problem is mostly that he reacts a little slowly with his first step and is than harried for rest of rally
Good showing from Tsitsipas - excellent FH, very good serve, well judged BH. A little more than that, a not good one from Rublev - powerful groundies, but can’t keep at it without missing and a bit slow
