The Telegraph Two of the surprise packages of this clay-court season have been British – initially Dan Evans, who made a deep run in Monte Carlo, and more lately Cameron Norrie, who played his second final in three weeks on Sunday. Unfortunately, Norrie wasn’t able to land a maiden ATP title in Lyon. But then he was up against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been the dominant force of 2021 outside the slams, and now stands at No 1 in the table of most rankings points gained since January 1. Nevertheless, it had been a hugely creditable effort for Norrie to go this far, especially when you consider that he took out top seed Dominic Thiem on Thursday, and then trounced big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov in Saturday’s semi-final, losing only two games in the process. Norrie has come to clay late in his career, but it feels like this is developing into his favourite surface. He has one of the heaviest left-handed forehands in the game, loaded with top-spin, and uses it like a miniature version of Rafael Nadal. The result has been a tally of 14 wins and only four losses since he began his European clay-court swing in Barcelona. So while the French Open, which starts next Sunday, has traditionally been a graveyard of British hopes, there are reasons to hope that this year’s event could deliver some more positive results. Norrie’s previous final in Estoril had been a nervewracking affair which he eventually lost on a deciding-set tie-break to the more experienced Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Sunday was more straightforward for Tsitsipas, who needed only 69 minutes to hammer home a 6-3, 6-3 victory. It was Tsitsipas’ second title of the clay-court sequence, after he won Monte Carlo in mid-April, taking out Evans in the semi-final along the way. He has become a serious contender to upset the establishment – specifically Nadal and Novak Djokovic – at Roland Garros over the next few weeks. “I felt in good shape from the beginning of the tournament,” said Tsitsipas afterwards. “I am proud of today’s match, I knew it would be a difficult one against Cameron, who has been showing great tennis this week. He has been winning against good players and showing what the left hand can do on clay. “It was not an easy match today. I had to handle the nerves and I am proud of my performance and the way I stayed focused towards my goal.” On this year’s results, meanwhile, both Evans and Norrie stand among the world’s 20 most successful men. Evans is at No 16 and Norrie No 14. The next challenge for them both is to convert that ATP Tour form into a deep run at a major.<doc-sep>The three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka will compete in the 29th ATP final after everything he has been through in the last year and a half, defeating the top seed Kei Nishikori 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 13 minutes. 2015 Rotterdam champion toppled the Japanese for the sixth time in ten matches, losing serve three times and scoring five breaks from 14 opportunities to cross the finish line first, firing 35 winners and 37 unforced errors while Nishikori stayed on 19 direct points and 32 mistakes. The Japanese drew nothing from the initial shot, hitting no aces and only a few service winners, having to work hard for every point and failing to move Stan from the comfort zone or impose his shots. The Swiss had some troubles on the second serve although he never looked back, playing on a high level when it mattered the most and controlling the scoreboard in the decider to secure the place in the much-needed final with a late break. Wawrinka was in the zone right from the start, holding at love to kick off the encounter and breaking in game two with a forehand down the line winner after two game points that Kei wasted. Nishikori sprayed a forehand error in game four to send his rival 4-0 up before pulling one break back to get his name on the scoreboard. Wawrinka couldn't convert two break points in game six before blasting a backhand crosscourt winner at 5-2 to secure the opener in 37 minutes. Having to raise his level, Kei raced into a 4-0 lead in set number two with a double break, losing serve once at 4-1 but bringing the set home with a fantastic backhand crosscourt winner in the tenth game to set up a decider, standing in a much better position than an hour earlier. Believing in his shots and game overall, Wawrinka was back at his best in the third set, sailing through the service games and demonstrating power from both wings to break Kei with a forehand return winner in game ten and propel himself into the title match after almost two years.<doc-sep>Gael Monfils defeated Stan Wawrinka to win the Rotterdam Open French showman Gael Monfils claimed the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam with a three-set win against former champion Stan Wawrinka on Sunday. Monfils sealed a 6-3 1-6 6-2 victory over 2015 winner Wawrinka to collect the eighth title of his career, which will help move him up 10 spots to world No 23 when the ATP rankings are updated on Monday. The 32-year-old raced past his Swiss opponent to convert two break points on his way to sealing the opening set in 36 minutes before three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka, who was playing his first final since undergoing two knee surgeries in 2017, fought back to clinch the second set. Monfils and Wawrinka pose with their trophies after a thrilling final But Wawrinka struggled to keep up with Monfils in the longer rallies during the decider and despite winning his opening game to love, he was broken by Monfils in the third game, while the Frenchman also maintained his service rhythm to dictate play. Monfils, the 2016 runner-up, converted another break-point to go 5-2 ahead before serving out the match. Sunday's match was the first Rotterdam Open final between two unseeded players since Michael Llodra beat Robin Soderling in 2008. Marco Cecchinato defeated Argentinians Guido Pella and Diego Schwartzman in the space of two days In Buenos Aires, Marco Cecchinato of Italy secured the third ATP title of his career by causing a huge upset against home favourite Diego Schwartzman in the final of the Argentina Open. World No 18 Cecchinato added to his titles in Budapest and Umag by silencing the crowd as he eased to a 6-1 6-2 victory against Schwartzman. At the New York Open Reilly Opelka hammered 43 aces on the way to winning a first ATP Tour title with a 6-1 6-7 (9-7) 7-6 (9-7) victory over Canadian Brayden Schnur. Opelka easily won the opening set against Schnur who took the second by saving two championship points in a tie-break and claiming the set when Opelka double faulted. Reilly Opelka claimed his maiden ATP title in New York The 21-year-old American paved the way for the victory by successfully challenging what Schnur thought was an ace at 7-7 in the final tie-break. Schnur's shot was shown to be just out, so instead of having championship point the Canadian had a second serve, which he netted. Opelka then slammed in his 43rd ace of the match for the title, matching the number he had in his semi-final victory over top seed John Isner in their semi-final on Saturday. "This is definitely what I'm most proud of," said Opelka. "I was tough mentally, especially losing a lot of first sets this week, and my first serve really helped me out. I was able to play clutch in those big moments. We have the tennis season covered from all angles via our website skysports.com/tennis. On the move? Head to our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkySportsTennis to join in the conversation.<doc-sep>
The 32-year-old Gael Monfils has found his form in the last couple of weeks under the roof in Sofia and Rotterdam, losing to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final last week before going all the way in Rotterdam to lift his eighth ATP crown from 29 finals played. In the title match, Gael took down a former champion Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in an hour and 44 minutes, defeating the Swiss for the first time since 2010! This is the fifth indoor crown for Gael and only the second overall above ATP 250 level after Washington 2016, winning three points more than Stan and competing on a higher level in the decider that propelled him over the finish line. Wawrinka played in the first final in almost two years and he should be happy with the way he played in Rotterdam, losing the deciding match but making a big step forward, eager to continue in the same style in the rest of the season. Both players had ten break points up for grabs and Gael prevailed with four breaks of serve, scoring two in the decisive set and giving serve away three times in set number two when Stan had the upper hand. The Swiss had more winners but also more errors, unable to find the rhythm with his backhand that worked like a charm in the previous four matches. Gael made a perfect start, losing six points on serve in the opening set and breaking Stan in the third game after forcing a forehand error. Wawrinka fended off two break points in game five to stay within one break deficit but that changed in game nine when he netted a volley to hand another break to Monfils who was 6-3 up after 36 minutes. Things looked much better for the three-time Grand Slam champion in the second part of the match, saving all three break points he faced and finding the rhythm on the return to grab three breaks in games one, three and seven for a 6-1. Besides those three breaks he gave away, Gael's body language was far from the best and it seemed he would not be able to find something in the tank and stay competitive in the deciding set. Against all the odds, the Frenchman landed 80% of the first serve in the final set, playing against only one break point and mixing his game beautifully to put Stan under pressure and take the momentum away from his rival. Gael built a lead in the third game after a well-constructed attack and securing another break when Stan sent a backhand long in game seven, serving for the title in the following game. He saved a break point with a forehand down the line winner and clinched the triumph after a volley mistake from Stan to celebrate the first title in more than a year and the biggest in almost three years.