Match Stats/Report - Tsitsipas vs Ruud, Monte Carlo final, 2024

[Waspsting]

Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Casper Ruud 6-1, 6-4 in the Monte Carlo final, 2024 on clay

It was Tsitsipas’ third title at the event. The two would meet in the Barcelona final soon after, with Ruud winning

Tsitsipas won 71 points, Ruud 57

Serve Stats
Tsitsipas...
- 1st serve percentage (35/73) 48%
- 1st serve points won (21/35) 60%
- 2nd serve points won (26/38) 68%
- Aces 3 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (14/73) 19%

Ruud...
- 1st serve percentage (36/55) 65%
- 1st serve points won (24/36) 67%
- 2nd serve points won (7/19) 37%
- Aces 2
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (8/55) 15%

Serve Patterns
Tsitsipas served...
- to FH 36%
- to BH 61%
- to Body 3%

Ruud served...
- to FH 22%
- to BH 78%

Return Stats
Tsitsipas made...
- 46 (12 FH, 34 BH), including 3 runaround FHs
- 6 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (5 BH)
- 1 Forced (1 BH)
- Return Rate (46/54) 85%

Ruud made...
- 58 (29 FH, 29 BH), including 8 runaround FHs
- 3 Winners (3 FH)
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (4 FH, 1 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 6 Forced (3 FH, 3 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- Return Rate (58/72) 81%

Break Points
Tsitsipas 4/8 (5 games)
Ruud 0/8 (4 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Tsitsipas 27 (11 FH, 2 BH, 3 FHV, 5 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 5 OH)
Ruud 18 (9 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV, 3 OH)

Tsitsipas' FHs - 4 cc, 2 dtl, 2 inside-out, 2 inside-in, 1 longline at net
- BHs - 2 dtl

-7 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first 'volleys' (2 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- 1 second volley (1 BHV)

- 1 OH was on the bounce

Ruud's FHs - 3 cc (1 return, 2 passes - 1 at net), 1 cc/inside-in, 1 dtl return pass, 1 dtl/inside-out pass, 1 inside-out at net, 2 inside-in (1 return)
- BHs - 3 dtl

- 2 OHs were on the bounce

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Tsitsipas 30
- 20 Unforced (11 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV, 2 OH)... with 1 baseline drive FHV
- 10 Forced (8 FH, 2 BH)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.5

Ruud 29
- 17 Unforced (12 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHV)... with 1 FH at net
- 12 Forced (9 FH, 1 BH, 1 BHV, 1 Back-to-Net)... with 2 FH running-down-drop-shot (1 at net, 1 not)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.6

(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...
- 21/29 (72%) at net, including...
- 9/13 (69%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 2/5 (40%) off 1st serve and...
- 7/8 (88%) off 2nd serve
---
- 0/1 forced back

Ruud was...
- 16/20 (80%) at net, including...
- 2/2 serve-volleying, both 1st serves
---
- 1/1 forced back

Match Report
Tsitsipas plays particularly well and while having better of things, its not to extent 4 & 1 scoreline might suggest. Ruud has trouble returning with any authority and over-does the back-away FH’ng. That and his backward returning position leaves him vulnerable and Tsitsipas takes advantage with style

6-4 sets being close is common, but even the 6-1 one isn’t too one sided with Tsis enduring 2 long holds. And in second set, he’s regularly under the gun to hold. He just about manages, and pinches the sole break to take it

All those long games leads to Tsis actually serving 2 more points than he wins - which isn’t what you normally see for 1 & 4

Tsis winning 55.5% of points, but also serving 57.0% of them
Break points - Tsis 4/8 (5 games), Ruud 0/8 (4 games)

These aren’t the only odd stats. Just the most basic ones -
1st serve in - Tsis 48%, Ruud 65%
1st serve won - Tsis 60%, Ruud 67%
2nd serve won - Tsis 68%, Ruud 37%

Tsis’ low in count is first strange one. And his winning more second serve points than firsts is obviously another. Ruud with normal figures

Odd or not, it’s a good match. Both players finish with more winners than UEs -
Tsis 27 winners, 20 UEs
Ruud 18 winners, 17 UEs

2 problems with Ruud’s game, which are only hinted at by stats

- he returns from well-back, both first and second serves. For first serves, understandable because Tsis has a fat one. Second serves, less so. Tsis has a good second serve, but not something that opponents would feel the need to take from well-back position

In conjunction with the backward position, he returns less than firmly and often short (including second serves). Tsis able to command third ball as he wants

Clever enough to pick up on all this, Tsis makes hay second serve-volleying. He’s 7/8 so doing, usually finishing with drop volley winners. Ruud misses odd regulation second return too after Tsis turns to second serve-volleying, very likely due to concerns about Tsis possibly coming in behind the serve

Even sans the serve-volleying, Tsis wins 19/30 or 63% second serve points. Ruud winning just 37% of his second serve points, and also Tsis’ non serve-volley ones is one indicator of how the two players stack up. But he’s done well to keep the big serving Tsis down to just 60% first serve points won

Stratagems around second serves change across match. It isn’t until second set Tsis turns to serve-volleying and not far after, Ruud steps up to return from normal and occasionally, early return position

He’s uncomfy doing so, which justifies his taking backward position in first place, but credit for having the brains to know something different had to be done. Not particularly good returning from normal position - returns tend to be soft, not cleanly hit - but its better than being at the mercy of routine putaway volleys first up. And they’re not all scraggy contacts. He’s got 3 return winners

Still, Ruud’s returning is a problem. Seemingly, just doesn’t have ability to be neutralizing with it. He had all kinds of trouble in his first Masters final returning high kickers too

- he excessively avoids playing BHs, by moving over to take FHs. Ruud is a FH > BH player, and those guys tend to move over fair amount, but Ruud here is moving over to hit not-strong FH inside-outs or longline, with FH side open

Fairly easy for Tsis to slap big FH cc’s (or inside-in) into open court aggressively. Effective back-away FH play involves hitting extra hard, to keep opponent from being able to do exactly what Tsis is able to do. Tsis does it well - but its not too tough a job against kinds of average or even soft balls Ruud presents him with. The kind of back-away FH’ng Ruud does might be seen from someone with a pitifully weak BH that’s liable to leak errors against neutral balls

Match low 4 UEs from Ruud BH. To go with 3 winners (all dtl), that looks outstanding - rock of the match and not just a shield. In reality, it sees little action, with Ruud orchestrating things for that to be so

A little oddly, when he does have to play BHs (and at times, it seems that only happens when he has no other choice), Ruud tends to go aggressively dtl with it. Shots there - most BHs he plays are when he’s well over to side line (if he weren’t, he move over to play FH). Ergo 3 dtl winners - not a bad yield

 

[Waspsting]

It’s the soft, cramped FH inside-outs he hits to around middle of court that are the problem

Tsis too of course likes his FHs. He limits his move-around play to standard, sound extent. Does it when its doable, and hits stronger FHs instead. But doesn’t strain to do it, and not put out to play stock BHs, cc or line. Against the cc’s, Ruud’s apt to respond with back-away FH shot if he can. Like Ruud, he’s also willing to take on BH dtl winner and has 2 such success’ and good BH figures of 2 winners, 7 UEs

All this moving over and consequent opening up opposite corner leaves room for FH inside-in attacks too. Both players are effective with it. Tsis in particular makes hay with it - he has 2 winners and good lot of Ruud’s match high 9 FH FEs are drawn by it. And for Ruud, it’s better to Tsis a running shot from side via FH inside-in than it is 1 in middle of court with inside-out

8/10 Tsis’ FEs and 9/12 of Ruud’s are FHs, and FH inside-in is error-forcer much of the time in both cases

So those are Ruud’s 2 big problems - ineffective returning and both court position issues as well as soft balls coming from excessive back-away FH play. Tsis by contrast returns comfily, with normal lot of decent, firm, deep returns against second serves and is in better position. Even all things being equal, his FH is that much more powerful, and with compromised court position thrown in, its much more effective than Ruud

What does Ruud do well? He’s still got 18 winners, 17 UEs, so he must be doing something well

Some powerful FHs, with inside-ins the best of them. But FH is a touch loose, even in normal rallies. Still, 9 winners, 12 UEs is a good outcome, especially considering its up against stiff competition in Tsis’ more powerful shot

And the back-away stuff does work in protecting his BH. Few more errors from FHs in lieu of BH isn’t too important. Tsis scoring with winning FH cc’s and inside-ins is
He’s not slow to take net from commanding position. Both players do very well rallying forward - Tsis is 12/16, Ruud 14/18

Enough good in there from Ruud to keep things competitive. And Tsis is excellent - big damaging FHs, serve-volleys, court position, steady and firm stock hitting (including the return), and knowing how to capitilize on opponents shortcomings

His main drawback is low in-count of 48% - but as he ends up winning more second serve points than firsts, and the firsts are only middling to begin with - ironically, that ends up probably being a good thing for him

All things remaining as they are, a few more first serves and Tsis probably broken once or twice. In the event, he goes through with a clean sheet

Match Progression
Hard hitting FHs, particularly inside-ins, from both players sees 2 holds to open. And then Tsis wins next 5 games

He doesn’t have it easy. Take 12 points and staying off 3 break points to consolidate the first for 3-1, with Ruud missing regulation returns on 2 of them (1 second, 1 first serve). His next hold takes 10 points, in a UE free game

Ruud’s FH is fallible through all this, missing the odd routine ball and hitting others without much force, with Tsis quick to and authoritative in taking advantage

Tsis breaks for third time to end the set, starting by dispatching a BH dtl winner against a neutral, back-away FH inside-out. Ruud misses another such shot to raise a second break/set point, on which he double faults

Second is a good fight. The 1 break ends the match. Tsis serves 47 points or 9.4 per game for his 5 holds, while Ruud serves 5.75 points for his 4 holds, before being broken
Break points for the set read Tsis 1/2 (2 games), Ruud 0/5 (3 games)

Couple of missed FHs from Tsis starts the set, which he follows up with a couple of FH winners (cc and inside-in). Ruud’s BH dtl winner brings up break point, on which he can’t make a tough return. Tsis second serve-volleys for the first time to seal the game

He does so again 3 times next go-around in holding a 12 point game where he makes just 4 first serves. Ruud again nails a BH dtl winner and Tsis’ serve-volleys that see him through to another hold. On the only break, Ruud makes a FH UE

Tsis is in the swing of second serve-volleying next time around and delivers back-to-back first ‘volley’ winners to start the game, including a very difficult BH1/2V he manages to control with soft hands. Lashes a third ball FH inside-in winner later in the game, his first easy hold

Great game after that lasts 10 points. Begins with Tsis missing a BH dtl winner attempt, ends with him blinking up a FH UE. In between is all high flying action, with two players sharing the honours. A wonderful run-down-drop-shot at net by Tsis is best of his, a half-volley serve-volleying the best of Ruud’s

Another high flyer right after, with Tsis saving 3 break points in 18 point game. All kinds of fun points, with big FHs from both and net play from Tsis starring. All 3 break points are erased by winners (FH cc after beating back back-away FH shots, BHV set up by BH dlt and a first volley FHV serve-volleying). Crazy attempt by Tsis to drive FHV a ball from the baseline is memorable, as is a lashed, early taken FH inside-in return winner by Ruud. Tsis finally ends it with a FH inside-out winner, set up by a surprise FH dtl that catches Ruud out

Tsis breaks to end the match. 2 ground errors in short rallies (1 third ball against a decent return) sets the stage for it and 0-30. Ruud strikes winners at net to level at 30-30, but blinks up a BH error to go down break/set/match point. Tsis with a FH dtl winner to end it

Summing up, good fun match and a smart, fiery showing from Tsitsipas. His FHs might and varied, BH upto hitting firmly while willing to take on the point ender dtl. And he serve-volleys to take advantage of Ruud’s backward return position, with fine feel on the volleying finish

Ruud has trouble returning with any authority and overdoes moving over to play FHs, thus leaving court open against an opponent willing and able to pound FHs into it. The returning might be a general problem with his game, but the other can be rectified. His BH is steady enough to make such over-protection unnecessary. He gets his fair share of FH licks in too, and isn’t shy to come forward to finish from advantage accrued through his serve, but the court positioning handicaps does leave him with more catching up to do than he’s able to manage