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World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas blamed the poor decisions he made early in the match for his shock loss against qualifier Roman Safiullin. Safiullin, ranked at No. 163 in the world, stunned first-seeded Tsitsipas 6-4 6-4 in the Marseille quarterfinal.
Safiullin saved the first break point of the match in the fourth game before claiming the first break of the match in the following game. After claiming the first break of the match, Safiullin didn't allow Tsitsipas a single break point in the rest of the match to win the first set.
Safiullin blew five break points in the opening game of the second set but broke Tsitsipas in the third game and held on to his serve the rest of the set to book a straight-set win. "He really raised his level high and he was returning my serves well but I think if I had taken better decisions from early on in the match, I could see something different.
Coming in after the serve, it would have been a different game," Tsitsipas said after the loss, per Tennis Majors.
Tsitipas on today's loss to Safiullin: "He really raised his level high and he was returning my serves well but I think if I had taken better decisions from early on in the match, I could see something different.
Coming in after the serve, it would have been a different game.' — Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) February 18, 2022
Tsitsipas had only one break point
"I don’t think he has the biggest serve in the world, but he was very accurate and found the right spots.
I don’t know, I feel like I can do better next time on my returning games," Tsitsipas claimed.
Tsitsipas said he felt his game from the baseline wasn't at the usual level.Tsitsipas only earned one break point in the loss, and didn't convert: "I don’t think he has the biggest serve in the world, but he was very accurate and found the right spots.
I don’t know, I feel like I can do better next time on my returning games," said the Greek. — Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) February 18, 2022
"My game from the baseline was a little bit weak today compared to other days. I just felt off and I wasn’t able to produce enough accuracy and strength my baseline shots," Tsitsipas admitted.
On the other side, Safiullin admitted it was the best win of his career.Tsitsipas says that only having half of the court for a warmup today left him feeling a bit off: "My game from the baseline was a little bit weak today compared to other days.
I just felt off and I wasn’t able to produce enough accuracy and strength my baseline shots." — Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) February 18, 2022
"That's the best win in all my career, for my first quarter final on the ATP Tour". I returned well on his first serve, I think he didn't expected that," Safiullin said.
Safiullin, who just beat Tsitsipas : "That's the best win in all my career, for my first quarter final on the ATP Tour".
I returned well on his first serve, I think he didn't expected that". #Marseille #atptour — Tennis Majors (@Tennis_Majors) February 18, 2022