(Monte-Carlo) The double title holder Stefanos Tsitsipas, 3rd in the world, was eliminated on Friday in the quarter-finals of the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 by the American Taylor Fritz (10th) 6-2, 6-4 in 1 10 a.m.

The Greek had won their three previous meetings, on hard court, and remained on a series of twelve games won on Monegasque soil – with only one set lost in total – but he was overtaken by Fritz who will face the Russian Andrey Rublev (6th) Saturday for a place in the final.

“My level was very high, I played very well,” Fritz savored. Beating him here gives me a lot of confidence. »

The 25-year-old American won the best of his five titles to date in 2022 at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 and had never reached the last four in the Principality. Last year, he was stopped there in the quarterfinals by Alejandro Davidovich, future finalist.

He becomes the first American to reach the semis in Monte Carlo since Vince Spadea in 2003.

By winning the Delray Beach tournament this year, he climbed to No. 5 in the world, becoming the first American to break into the Top 5 since Andy Roddick in September 2009.

Tsitsipas was completely overwhelmed during the first set, failing to produce the play that allowed him to dominate Nicolas Jarry (58th) in the previous round.

He regained some of his effectiveness in the second, but not enough.

Once he managed to come back to 4-4, but again lost his face-off and Fritz served for the match at 5-4. With an ace, the American converted his first match point.

For his part, the Russian Daniil Medvedev, 5th in the world, was also eliminated by the Dane Holger Rune (9th) 6-3, 6-4.

Medvedev, who remained on a semi-final during his last participation in the Monegasque tournament in 2019, but who says he hates clay, did not find the opening against his young opponent who will find Saturday for a place in the final l Italian Jannik Sinner (8th) or his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti (21st), world No.1 scorer and tournament favorite Novak Djokovic.