Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas showcased his resilience as he overcame both a fan “imitating a bee” and American opponent Ben Shelton to secure a victory at the Cincinnati Masters. Tsitsipas, seeded fourth in the tournament, faced a tough battle but ultimately triumphed 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in a match lasting one hour and 43 minutes.
Not only did Tsitsipas have to contend with the challenges on the court, but the crowd also added to his frustration by trying to unsettle him. Visibly annoyed, the Greek athlete approached a fan in the stands about their disruptive behavior in an effort to address the situation.
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The incident sparking Tsitsipas’ frustration occurred in the second set when he was about to serve. He momentarily paused and swatted around his face, believing a bee was buzzing around him. It soon became apparent that a fan was imitating the sound, prompting Tsitsipas to bring it to the attention of the umpire.
Expressing his frustration to the umpire, Tsitsipas stated, “There’s someone imitating a bee every time I serve.” He then questioned if such behavior was acceptable before approaching the crowd to address the issue directly. With the help of another spectator, Tsitsipas identified the culprit, leading him to return to the umpire to request action be taken. The umpire assured him that he would address the fan’s disruptive behavior.
Upon returning to the baseline, Tsitsipas received what appeared to be an apology from the lady responsible for imitating the bee, and he continued playing.
While Tsitsipas’ battle with Shelton was tightly contested, neither player faced a break point. Tsitsipas, however, secured victory by winning 93% of points behind his first serve, surpassing Shelton’s 84% success rate.
Reflecting on the match, Tsitsipas acknowledged his opponent’s youthful spirit but emphasized his own resilience in securing the win. “It came down to two tiebreakers, and I was very confident. I was tough as nails, and that gave me the win today,” he said.
With this triumph, Tsitsipas advances to the third round where he will face off against Hubert Hurkacz. Tsitsipas holds a career record of 7-2 against Hurkacz, giving him an additional boost of confidence as he progresses in the tournament.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
