Monte-Carlo: Stefanos Tsitsipas Suffers Early Elimination

 

Stefanos Tsitsipas got an early exit from the Monte-Carlo Masters, losing in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4 to Francisco Cerundolo in the opening round. 

Cerundolo pulled off a stunning rally from 3-5 in the first set, winning four straight games to claim the opener. In the second set, Tsitsipas was resilient until 4-4 when the Argentine player won two straight games to clinch the match point.

Ranked No. 48, the loss is consequential to the Greek, and he might see his ranking plummet. He was eliminated in the earlier stages of the Miami Open, losing to Arthur Fils.  The farthest he has reached this season is the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open. 

The win was Cerundolo's first against Tsitsipas, who leads in head-to-head meetings by 2-1. The Argentine reached the quarter-finals of the Miami Open, but lost to Alexander Zverev. He will face Tomas Machac in the Round of 32.