THINGS CAN ONLY GET FETA FOR HUNGRY TSITSIPAS
EVEN as his distinguished career slipped away against an opponent he’d have beaten handily in his pomp, James DeGale remained defiant.
After the bells to signal the end of rounds seven and eight he planted his feet in the centre of the ring and stuck out his goading tongue at Chris Eubank Jr.
Fifteen minutes and a second trip to the canvas later, he raised his arm aloft, more out of habit than convincing celebration.
But after Eubank Jr was declared the winner of a STEFANOS TSITSIPAS refound his “hunger” to win his first ATP Tour title of the season at the Marseille Open.
The Greek star, 20, admitted he had struggled for motivation after becoming the youngest Grand Slam semi-finalist since 2007 at last month’s Australian Open.
But the No.1 seed bounced bout DeGale, 33, had dubbed “the retirement”, the beaten man’s mask slipped.
“I’m going to go back, talk to my team and talk to my family, but I’m pretty sure I’ll retire,” he said. “I’ve been to the heights of boxing, I’ve won an Olympic gold medal, won the world title twice, made history and I’ve boxed the best around the world. I’ve left my mark on boxing – I’m the history man.”
The crowning moment of a decade-long professional career was DeGale’s victory over Andre Dirrell in 2015 which anointed him the first Brit to win Olympic gold and back to win his second career title without dropping a set, beating Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin (right) 7-5 7-6 in the final.
“Winning titles is what I am working for. It’s the biggest satisfaction and the biggest joy in tennis,” Tsitsipas said.
“I lost the spark (after the Australian Open) and I was a world title. The subsequent two years saw him box exclusively in north America as the home crowd he so often divided missed out on his prime.
DeGale’s draining draw with Badou Jack two years ago signalled the beginning of the end as he went on to lose his world title to the unheralded Caleb Truax.
He dragged his injuryravaged body through last year’s rematch to avenge the defeat but could not rally it again on Saturday night.
Eubank Jr, 29, landed successive left hooks to force DeGale to the canvas in the second round. DeGale’s movement improved in the middle rounds but he was unable to tame the younger man’s wild style.
Another left hook dropped him in the 10th stanza and frustrated because it felt like I couldn’t find it again. This week I am really happy because I felt this hunger back again. I really re hope it stays because there t are many good players out there who play for the same prize.” The new world No.11 became b the first Greek player to win an ATP World Tour title when he claimed the Stockholm not even a deducted point for shoving could threaten Eubank Jr’s victory.
Having previously fallen short against Billy Joe Saunders and George Groves, the son of a legend hailed his coming of age.
He said: “This was a career-defining fight for me, this was make or break, do or die. I had to win, I had to make a statement, and I believe that’s exactly what I did.
“I didn’t think he had it in him to get up after two heavy knockdowns, to keep going, and take those big shots. Respect to him for that.” Open in October but suffered early defeats in Sofia and Rotterdam after Melbourne.
At the Delray Beach Open in Florida, Liverpool’s Neal and Ken Skupski lost 7-6 6-4 to Mike and Bob Bryan.
Roger Federer will begin his bid to win his eighth Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship – and his 100th ATP title – against Philipp Kohlschreiber today.