Tsitsipas Nets First ATP Masters Crown, Sharma Wins First WTA Title
(April 18, 2021) It was a day of first in tennis on Sunday. Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first Greek man to win an ATP Masters Series title, while Australia’s Astra Sharma claimed her first WTA-level singles trophy.
In Monte-Carlo, Tsitsipas did not drop a set throughout the tournament when he stopped Andrey Rublev of Russia 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday’s final.
Tsitsipas’ mother, former Soviet Union Fed Cup player Julia Salnikova, won a junior title in Monte-Carlo forty years ago.
“I had an unbelievable week in Monte-Carlo,” said the fourth seed Tsitsipas. “I can’t describe my feelings right now. I am overwhelmed by so many different emotions and nostalgia. It is incredible that I am able to be in the position that I am… I would consider it as the [best] week of my life so far.”
Over in Charleston, on the WTA tour, unseeded Astra Sharma rallied past top seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 2-6, 7-5 6-1 in the final of the MUSC Health Women’s Open for her first main tour singles title. This was Sharma’s second career final, having lost in Bogota in 2019.
Sharma joins five other women on the WTA Tour this year to win maiden titles including Clara Tauson in Lyon, Sara Sorribes Tormo in Guadalajara, Leylah Fernandez in Monterrey, Maria Camila Osorio Serrano in Bogotá and Veronika Kudermetova at the Charleston 500 event.
