Tsitsipas Defeats Muller to Join Arthur Fils in Rome Third Round
Tsitsipas made a strong start in Rome, defeating Muller 6-2, 7-6.
After a one-sided first set, Muller fought hard to get back into the match and force a tie-break. At 2-2 in the decisive game, Tsitsipas raised his level to pull away from the Frenchman. Unlucky, Muller also saw his ball take a bad bounce at 4-2 for the Greek.
Tsitsipas sealed the match with a stunning forehand passing shot, having earned three match points (7-3). Aggressive throughout, the 26-year-old fired 29 winners compared to just 9 from his opponent. The match lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes. This was their second meeting after Shanghai in 2024, where the Greek also prevailed (6-3, 7-5).
The Dubai champion will now face Arthur Fils for a spot in the round of 16 and will look to avenge his retirement loss to the Frenchman in the Barcelona quarterfinals.
Rome 
When tennis stars change courts: from Noah the singer to Safin the deputy, another match – the battle of reinvention 
As a laboratory for tomorrow’s tennis, does the Next Gen Masters have a future? 
Tennis: the little-known truths about the offseason, between rest, stress and physical survival 
What if tennis lost its soul? The case of robotized officiating, between tradition and a dehumanized modernity 
