Stefanos Tsitsipas Rallies in Paris for 100th ATP Masters 1000 Win

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates after winning against Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena during their men's singles match on day one of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on October 28, 2024. (AFP)
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates after winning against Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena during their men's singles match on day one of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on October 28, 2024. (AFP)
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Stefanos Tsitsipas Rallies in Paris for 100th ATP Masters 1000 Win

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates after winning against Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena during their men's singles match on day one of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on October 28, 2024. (AFP)
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates after winning against Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena during their men's singles match on day one of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on October 28, 2024. (AFP)

Greek 10th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas fought past Spanish lucky loser Roberto Carballes Baena 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the Rolex Paris Masters on Monday.

Tsitsipas needed an hour and 59 minutes, but when it was said and done the 26-year-old secured the 100th match win at an ATP Masters 1000 event of his career.

Tsitsipas said he battled an upset stomach during the match.

"It took a long time for me to feel better," Tsitsipas said. "It was very strange. It doesn't happen very often. I just had to feel better, because I knew I was playing good tennis. I didn't have a great start, but there were so many things on my mind at that moment, I wasn't able to play clearly and with a good picture."

Tsitsipas finished with an 11-4 edge in aces and a whopping 36-15 advantage in total winners, but he had to overcome 45 unforced errors while Carballes Baena committed only 21. Tsitsipas also won 36 of his 45 first-service points (80 percent) and saved 4 of 6 break points.

Tsitsipas' next opponent will be Chile's Alejandro Tabilo, who outlasted Portugal's Nuno Borges 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in two hours and 10 minutes.

A trio of Frenchmen won on home soil in the opening round.

Wild card Adrian Mannarino upset No. 11 seed Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-5. He reached break point 11 times and managed to break Paul's serve on five occasions.

"I don't know if it's the fact of playing in Paris or of fully finding my form after a lot of physical problems," Mannarino told reporters in French, per tennismajors.com. "The level of play (Monday) was good. Managing to finish the match, when there are many that have passed me by in the same kind of circumstances, it's really satisfying."

No. 15 seed Ugo Humbert also pleased the French fans with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Brandon Nakashima. And wild card Arthur Rinderknech advanced when Czech opponent Tomas Machac retired during the second set of their match. Machac won the first set 7-6 (3) and was trailing 3-5 in the second.

Serbian lucky loser Miomir Kecmanovic went the distance against Argentina's Sebastian Baez, prevailing 6-4, 6-7 (6), 7-5 in two hours and 28 minutes.

Advancing in straight sets were Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan, American qualifier Marcos Giron, Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, Nicolas Jarry of Chile, Jordan Thompson of Australia and Argentines Francisco Cerundolo and Tomas Martin Etcheverry.



Brazil's Botafogo Advances to its 1st Copa Libertadores Final

John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024.  EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
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Brazil's Botafogo Advances to its 1st Copa Libertadores Final

John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024.  EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ

Brazil’s Botafogo advanced to its first Copa Libertadores final on Wednesday despite a 3-1 loss at Uruguay's Penarol. The Rio de Janeiro side had won the first leg of its semifinal 5-0.
Botafogo's rival in the Nov. 30 decider in Buenos Aires will be fellow Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro, which reached the final after a 0-0 draw at Argentina’s River Plate on Tuesday and after a 3-0 win in the first leg.
Botafogo rested many of its starters because of the big advantage, including national team strikers Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus, The Associated Press reported.
Jaime Báez scored Penarol's first two goals. The first came from long distance in the 31st minute and the second in the 66th from the edge of the box. By then, the hosts were one man down due to an unusual red card.
Goalkeeper Washington Aguerre was sent off during the break after intentionally stepping on the foot of Botafogo goalie John. Botafogo lost a player in the 69th minute when Mateo Ponte received his second yellow only seconds after he got his first.
World Cup champion Thiago Almada was brought in by Botafogo in the second half and scored for the visiting team from close range in the 88th minute. One minute later, also from close range, Penarol's Facundo Batista netted the third goal for the Uruguayan team.
Brazilian teams have won the tournament for the past five years. The final will be played at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Atletico’s win on Tuesday also affected the race to be the last South American qualifier for the 2025 Club World Cup, as it eliminated Olimpia of Paraguay from contention.
Olimpia would have advanced to the 32-team tournament in the United States had River Plate won this Copa Libertadores edition. River Plate already qualified based on its consistent results in the continental competition across four seasons.
FIFA will make the draw for the June 15-July 13 tournament on a date in early December it has not yet confirmed.
Also on Wednesday, Brazil's Cruzeiro advanced to the Copa Sudamericana final with a 1-0 win at Argentina's Lanus. Their first leg ended 1-1 last week.
Cruzeiro could face another Brazilian team in the decider of South America's second most prestigious club tournament.
Corinthians, the club of Dutch striker Memphis Depay, will take on Argentina's Racing in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Their first leg in Sao Paulo finished 2-2.