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.



No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
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No Concerns about Hamilton’s Speed, Says Ferrari’s Vasseur

 Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton's struggles at Mercedes are not giving his future employers Ferrari any concern, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.

The seven-times Formula One world champion finished only 12th in Qatar on Sunday, the 39-year-old Briton's last race before his farewell to Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi season-ender next weekend.

He also finished 10th in Brazil last month, and 11th in the Saturday sprint there.

Asked after the race at Lusail if he was worried about Hamilton's form going into next year, Ferrari's Vasseur replied: "Not at all.

"I have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas, starting in P10 (10th place), finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I'm not worried at all."

Hamilton finished second in a Mercedes one-two with winner George Russell, who started on pole position, in Las Vegas on Nov. 24.

Hamilton collected two penalties on Sunday -- a five second one for a false start and the other a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane -- as well as a puncture.

At one point, clearly fed up, he sought to retire the car but his race engineer refused the request because the drive-through penalty would have been carried over to Abu Dhabi if left unserved.

The Briton, who turns 40 in January, has been out-qualified 18-5 by Russell this season and 5-1 in the sprints but has also won two grands prix.

"I know I've still got it," Hamilton said on Saturday. "It's just the car won't go faster. But I definitely know I've got it. It is not a question in my mind."

On Sunday he was prepared for one last push.

"I'm still standing, it's not how you fall, it's how you get back up, so I'll get back up tomorrow and give it another shot next week," he said.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff rejected any suggestion Hamilton was losing his speed.

"I'm certain that it's not true. It's just this generation of cars, particularly how the car is now," said the Austrian. "He's a late braker, he carries a lot of speed on the entry to the corner and the car doesn't take it."