BY KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
He wasn’t world No. 6 for nothing.
Stefanos Tsitsipas put on a virtuoso performance and humbled local bet AJ Lim, 6-2, 6-1, on Friday to help power Greece an imposing 2-0 lead in their World Group II playoff tie with the Philippines at the sweaty Philippine Columbian Association claycourt in Paco, Manila.
Tsitsipas’ younger brother Petros was equally impressive as he mauled the country’s top bet Jeson Patrombon, 6-2, 6-1, in a win that pushed the Greeks on the cusp of victory.
The 21-year-old Greek was dominant throughout, needing just 53 minutes to dispatch Lim as he displayed powerful one-handed backhands and a strong baseline game that had the crowd gushing for his every point.
And that proved too much for 20-year-old Lim, who dropped his serve five times.
Tsitsipas, however, was magnanimous in victory.
“It was quite difficult to adjust to the court. The bounce was kinda all over the place, but I still found ways to give the ball back,” said Tsitsipas, who is coming off a runner-up finish to Novak Djokovic at the Dubai Tennis Championships last weekend.
“I think I played okay. Enough to win (today).”
Tsitsipas said the hot and humid condition inside the court was the most difficult part of the game, adding that he was not used to such hot and humid condition.
“That last game was really difficult. I tell you, it feels like a sauna in there,” he said.
“But I think it’s good for my cardio.”
Tsitsipas also had some good words for Lim.
“He came in quite nervous, I think, but he slightly improved from time to time. It’s also not easy for me because I know deep inside I really have to work for the points. I just stayed consistent and he didn’t, so that’s the difference,” he said.
Lim, for his part, said he did everything on the court but said Tsitsipas was too hard to contain as if he’s on different league.
“He was just unreal,” he said. “I gave everything I had, but he just countered everything.”
The defeat in singles, put the Filipinos on a must-win situation on Saturday’s doubles match pitting veterans Francis Casey Alcantara and Ruben Gonzales against Petros and Markos Kalovelonis.
The reverse singles will have Stefanos versus Patrombon, and Petros against Lim.
Changes, however, can be made a few hours before the match.
