Resurgent Tsitsipas falls short against Rudd in Madrid

A resurgent Stefanos Tsitsipas looked to person defending champion Casper Ruud headed for the exit, but the Norwegian saved two lucifer points successful the deciding acceptable to assertion victory.

Ruud fought backmost from the brink to support his title defence live with a 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3) victory implicit erstwhile finalist Tsitsipas.

In a high-quality three-hour contest, the Greek led 5-3 successful the decider, holding two lucifer points, and served for the victory astatine 5-4, but Ruud, who was 0/11 successful interruption points up until then, recovered a way to take down the Tsitsipas’s service and went connected to clinch the tie-break.

Ruud will square disconnected with 21-year-old Belgian Alexander Blockx for a semi-final spot.

With AAP and AFP