World No.7 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who remained on a title in Monte-Carlo and a final in Barcelona, was surprised at the start of the Masters 1000 in Madrid by the Brazilian Thiago Monteiro (118th) 6-4, 6-4 at second round on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Greek, a double Grand Slam finalist, arrived in the Spanish capital with ten matches won out of eleven played on clay in 2024. His only defeat came in the final in Barcelona last Sunday, against the Norwegian Casper Ruud.
A week earlier, he had won his third Masters 1000 trophy, the third in Monte-Carlo (after 2021 and 2022), already at the expense of Ruud.
In the gray Madrid on Saturday noon, Tsitsipas well dismissed two first match points in favor of Monteiro at 5 games to 3, on his serve, before obtaining an equalizing ball at 5 everywhere in the next game – his only ball of break of the game. But the Brazilian held on and finished on his fourth opportunity in just over an hour and a half.