Defending champion Tsitsipas to face Davidovich Fokina in Monte Carlo final

Tsitsipas brushed aside Alexander Zverev on Saturday to set up a Monte Carlo Masters final against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the conqueror of world number one Novak Djokovic. Greek world number five Tsitsipas beat third-ranked Zverev 6-4, 6-2, showing no ill effects of a marathon quarter-final win over Diego Schwartzman which finished at 11:00pm Friday. "It was hard to resume today after a difficult match last night" said 23-year-old Tsitsipas.

"My body was not at 100%, but I am very happy with the tennis I produced." He appeared fresher than Olympic champion Zverev who had also drawn deep on his reserves on Friday to beat Jannik Sinner in a 3hr 07min quarter-final. Zverev was the more under-powered of the two on Saturday. Tsitsipas broke in the ninth game of the opener before reeling off four games in a row from 2-2 in the second set.

The contest was over inside 75 minutes. Davidovich Fokina, ranked at 46, reached his first career ATP final with a 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov. "It was a difficult match.

I had my chances in the second set, but Grigor played well and I was tired," said the 22-year-old Spaniard, who knocked out Djokovic on Tuesday. "I kept fighting, I wanted to see where my limits were." It was a roller-coaster afternoon for Davidovich Fokina who was a set and then 4-2 and 5-3 ahead in the second. But he won just three of the next 12 points with two double faults as Dimitrov hit back.

The Spaniard then trailed 2-0 in the decider before racking up five straight games for 5-2. An ace on a second match point gave him victory. "When I was a kid I was dreaming about this day," said Davidovich Fokina who had also beat Indian Wells Masters champion Taylor Fritz on his way to the final.