Marcos Baghdatis pulled off a stunner at the Open Sud de France on Thursday evening in Montpellier, upsetting defending champion and top seed Lucas Pouille 7-6(2), 6-7(3), 6-4.

The 33-year-old Cypriot came back from a break down in the opener and broke twice more in the decider to earn his first Top 20 victory since last year’s Wimbledon when he beat then-No. 7 Dominic Thiem.

Baghdatis is into his first tour-level quarter-final of the season and will meet Moldova’s Radu Albot for a semi-final spot at the ATP Tour 250. And to think, Baghdatis almost didn’t make it out of qualifying.

The World No. 128 trailed No. 461 Antoine Cornut-Chauvinc by a set in the first round of qualifying, but rallied and has dropped only one set since, including qualifying matches.

Pouille won their first FedEx ATP Head2Head series clash at last year’s US Open. Just two weeks ago, he reached the Australian Open semi-finals, his best Grand Slam result.

But Baghdatis, playing in his first tour-level event of the year, stayed focused as the home crowd tried to rally their defending champion. Serving for the match, Baghdatis erased a break point and clinched the second rounder with only his third and fourth aces.

Albot reached the fourth tour-level quarter-final of his career by beating Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 34 minutes. If Albot defeats Baghdatis, he will advance to just his second ATP Tour semi-final (Metz 2018).

Did You Know?
Baghdatis is pursuing his first tour-level semi-final since Chengdu in 2017. The Cypriot last captured a title in 2010 at Sydney.

Almost seven thousand times last season, players in the Top 100 found themselves down 0/30 when serving. On average, only the Top 10 found a way to win more service games than they lost from this precarious position.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the Top 100 from the 2018 season identifies that only 18 players won more than 50 per cent of their service games from 0/30, with eight of those players being ranked in the Top 10 and the remaining 10 spread throughout the rest of the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings.

This is a normally invisible insight into what separates players at different levels of our sport. Getting into a 0/30 hole is inevitable no matter your ranking. Getting out of it is typically done by only those at the top of the tree.

The Top 10 averaged holding serve 52 per cent (437/836) of the time, which was more than 10 percentage points higher than the rest of the Top 100.

Top 10 vs 11-100: Holding Serve From 0/30
Top 10 = 52% (437/836)
Rest of the Top 100 = 41% (2490/6019)

There is a clear divide in the success rate of holding from 0/30 from players in the Top 10 compared to the rest of the Top 100. Performance gets a little closer when you compare Top 20 to the rest of the Top 100, but a seven percentage-point gap still exists.

Holding from 0/30
Top 20 = 48% (819/1692)
Rest of Top 100 = 41% (2108/5163)

Things get closer still when you cut the sample size in half.

Holding from 0/30
1-50 = 44% (1860/4208)
51-100 = 40% (1067/2647)

The Best At Holding From 0/30

John Isner, who returns to action next week at the New York Open, came back nearly 70 per cent of the time, while Novak Djokovic was the best performer of the Big Three holding from 0/30.

N. Djokovic 53.9% (48/89)
R. Federer 52.5% (32/61)
R. Nadal 48.7% (37/76)

Who Faced 0/30 The Most In 2018

The good news is that this is an area of the game that can be improved by directly replicating the scenario on the practice court. Go play a practice set where both players start their service games at 0/30. If you can hold half of the time, you know you are on par with the players at the elite level of our sport.

2018 Season: Top 100 Players Holding from 0/30

#NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov is just 19 years old, but he has already accomplished plenty in his career. The World No. 25 is the youngest player in the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings, he has reached two ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals, won nearly $2.5 million in prize money and more.

But after advancing to the quarter-finals of the Open Sud de France on Thursday, the teenager admitted his sights are set on one goal for now.

“Definitely winning an ATP title is my first priority, my biggest priority,” Shapovalov said. “It’s something me and my team are working very hard towards and I think it’s definitely achievable if I’m playing really good tennis and if all the stars align. That’s definitely the first goal.”

While Shapovalov has won 40 tour-level matches since the start of 2018, he is not just waiting to lift his first trophy, but also to make his first final. The Canadian has proven his level, earning seven victories against opposition inside the Top 20. But he is still pushing for his first tournament triumph.

“Honestly I’m just trying to enjoy myself. Just putting the work in every day, trying to get better, so that a couple years down the road I can really [compete] to win majors and push these top guys out hopefully once and for all,” Shapovalov said, cracking a laugh. “At the end of the day, I just [want to] enjoy myself. It’s a fun journey. It’s been a long one, but I definitely have a lot of years ahead of me so I’m trying to just enjoy my time around here.”

Shapovalov was one of five #NextGenATP players to reach the third round of the Australian Open. He took particular inspiration from watching Stefanos Tsitsipas battle to his maiden major semi-final, while Frances Tiafoe advanced to his first Grand Slam quarter-final.

“It’s always great to see the young guys doing well and Frances, in particular. He’s a really good buddy of mine. He’s got such a great heart, such a good personality. I was texting him after every match, just so pumped to see him doing well,” Shapovalov said. “It’s definitely motivating to see these guys doing well. It shows you that I’m right there with them. I’ve beaten both these guys and I know my game is capable to be with these guys.”

A reporter in Bulgaria asked Shapovalov whether he believes he can crack the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings. While Shapovalov’s short-term goal is to win his first title, that may be the next step in his progression.

“I think with my game, I do have the potential to get there,” Shapovalov said after a pause. “I believe in myself that I’m able to actually get there, maybe even this year. But honestly I think I just have to go at my own pace.”

Daniil Medvedev overcame an early deficit to defeat Dutch No.1 Robin Haase 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 on Thursday, reaching the quarter-finals of the Sofia Open.

The Russian did not face a break point in the final two sets, finding his best tennis to beat the World No. 54 in one hour and 35 minutes. Medvedev is into his second quarter-final of the season, as the World No. 16 began his year by reaching the Brisbane final (l.to Nishikori).

Playing indoors treated Medvedev well last year, as the Russian claimed his first ATP 500 title in Tokyo. He was second on the ATP Tour in victories indoors, triumphing 17 times. The third seed will next face Slovak Martin Klizan, who ousted German Daniel Brands 7-6(5), 6-4.

Sixth seed Fernando Verdasco also was forced to battle in his first match of the tournament, eventually moving past 2018 finalist Marius Copil 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.

The Spaniard, who is pursuing his first tour-level title since 2016 in Bucharest, is into his first quarter-final of the season. Verdasco will next face Italian Matteo Berrettini, who ousted top seed Karen Khachanov in the second round. It will be the pair’s first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting.

In 2018, Verdasco won four of his five quarter-finals, advancing to the final in Rio de Janeiro.

Did You Know?
Medvedev is fresh off his first trip to the fourth round of a major, as he reached the Round of 16 at the Australian Open. While the Russian lost to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in four sets, he was one of just two players (also Shapovalov) who took a set from the eventual champion.

Denis Shapovalov got his campaign at the Open Sud de France off to a good start on Thursday, defeating Spaniard Marcel Granollers 6-4, 7-6(1) to advance to the quarter-finals.

“Today was a really good match,” said Montpellier debutant Shapovalov on court after the match. “I think we were both serving well. It was tough to get a rhythm, but I’m very happy how I managed to play at the end.”

The #NextGenATP Canadian did not face break point and won 30 of 33 first-serve points in his one-hour, 22-minute victory. Once in rallies, Shapovalov had the match on his racquet, and his heavier weight of shot proved decisive on the big points.

The 19-year-old hopes to maintain the momentum he gathered at the start of the year in France, as he was one of three teenagers to reach the third round of the Australian Open. While Shapovalov lost to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, the Canadian was one of just two players to take a set from the eventual champion (also Medvedev).

The third-seeded wild card, who lost in the doubles quarter-finals with home favourite Hugo Nys on Wednesday, will next face seventh seed Pierre-Hugues Herbert or Ilya Ivashka.

“It’s definitely [going to be] tough either way,” Shapovalov said. “I’m ready for a battle.”

Did You Know?
Shapovalov is pursuing his maiden ATP Tour final and title this week. The World No. 25 advanced to the semi-finals in Delray Beach, Madrid and Tokyo last year.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is back at the Sofia Open, and my how things have changed. Two years ago, Tsitsipas, with a baby face but the same free-flowing one-handed backhand, lost in the first round of qualifying to Serbian Miljan Zekic, then-No. 209 in the ATP Rankings.

Tsitsipas was No. 203. On Thursday, the second seed will make his main-draw debut in Bulgaria. He has lost the baby face and trimmed exactly 191 spots off his ATP Ranking.

“I had a lot of defeats… Obviously, it was one of those matches that I had to learn from. Because I do believe that with my losses I learn a lot and this is how I develop as a player. I had to lose many times to understand the game better and what I have to do,” Tsitsipas said.

Watch: Tsitsipas’ Surge Not Over Yet

“With certain situations, I would say I go more experienced and I know what to expect next. I get a better understanding for the game and the hard work and the attitude to come back on the court for practice and to push myself more.”

His work ethic showed at the Australian Open, where the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion upset Roger Federer in the fourth round en route to his maiden Grand Slam semi-final. Tsitsipas fell to Rafael Nadal in the last four, but less than a month into the season, he already had checked off one of his three 2019 goals by reaching the semi-finals of a Slam.

“It was like a dream come true. After that match, I felt like my brain was exploding. It was a magical moment that I will never forget. The first time is always special. Beating your idol,” Tsitsipas said of beating Federer. “Obviously, next time, when we face again, it is going to be different. He will know what to expect. And I have to be more prepared for that. I like to play this kind of players. You can learn a lot of things. Even when I win, I still can learn a lot of things from them. These are the moments I am playing tennis for.”

Tsitsipas didn’t lie on the couch for a week, resting or sulking about his semi-final loss to No. 2 Nadal. He took a couple days off and then returned to practice. He admits he’s still feeling the effects of his six-match-stay in Melbourne.

“I am not on 100 per cent recovered from the last tournament. But I know with my will and my determination at work I still have a lot of chances of doing well here. I like to enter the tournament with light expectations and not to expect too much from myself. I think if things go well it will be fantastic,” he said.

His maiden ATP Tour title came on indoor courts in Europe. In October, Greece’s #NextGenATP star beat Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis to win the Intrum Stockholm Open. Despite still feeling sore, Tsitsipas remains motivated to do well in Sofia, and the next time he meets a Top 10 player across the net.

“For sure I am practising for these moments. I really want badly to beat Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer, and Marin, and whoever else in the future. Because, as I said previously, these players will make me a better player, and I will know how to deal with certain situations much better,” Tsitsipas said.

“[Against Nadal], I knew it was a big chance and I could potentially make the final. I thought I was playing really well, I really wanted to take the best from this tournament. I felt disappointed that I had to leave the tournament by losing an easy match for him, I would say. But I am going to try to change this and improve to avoid this kind of situations.”