One done 💪 @steftsitsipas takes the opening set from Hubert Hurkacz, 6-2. #MiamiOpen
The Greek was the top seed remaining in the Miami Open draw when he stepped onto the court but despite taking the opening set he would go on to lose the match.
There was a lot of disappointment for Tsitsipas in his match against Hurkacz. Not only did he win the opening set convincingly he was also up 2-0 and 40-15 in the 2nd set. Everything looked set for his first Miami Open semifinal appearance but ultimately he would go on to lose the match. After the match he spoke in the press conference trying to make sense of what happened:
“I was very stressed these two weeks. Especially this week, I was feeling very stressed. I felt like it was my opportunity. I did quite well, but I feel like there was more space for me to show something greater."
On the match itself he said:
“It's a disappointing loss. It's a very disappointing loss. It [leaped] out of my hands. I grabbed it. It was there. Everything was under control. And suddenly, I don't know, [there was a] self-explosion… But I'll take these two weeks as great two weeks, great memories, and I had plenty of fun playing out on the court.”
Tsitsipas could not really pinpoint what caused the 'self explosion he described but he kept coming back to a certain point in the match:
“I think I played unbelievable tennis until that point, 6-2, [2-0] up, going for a double break like nothing could stop me. Suddenly, that one shot [at 3-3, 15/40] changed the whole psychology of the match… [It is] great for Hurkacz who did what he had to do in order to beat me, but I feel like there was a lost opportunity that shouldn't have happened today. Definitely not. It should have been my way. It should have been my win.”
It was a huge missed opportunity for Tsitsipas who could have stormed to his first Masters title but instead, the Greek leaves Miami with the 2nd most wins this season (17) trailing only Rublev but yet without a trophy.
One done 💪 @steftsitsipas takes the opening set from Hubert Hurkacz, 6-2. #MiamiOpen