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U.S. OPEN

August 29, 2018

Stefanos Tsitsipas

New York, NY, USA

D. MEDVEDEV/S. Tsitsipas

6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously a tough loss today. I believe it was your first time in the main draw this year. How do you kind of judge this as a start for yourself?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The US Open?

Q. Yes.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The conditions today were, I mean, even in my first-round match, were very tough to deal with. I managed to win that first-round match. I mean, I felt very relieved, because I knew if that match would go to four sets, I'm talking about my first round, then I don't know if I could make it. As you can see from my reaction, I was super exhausted that day.

Yeah, I had no energy. But I managed somehow, you know, rehabilitate and get ready for the second-round match. But it didn't feel the same.

But definitely I'm excited. I like US Open. I like the city. The courts are okay. It's just hopefully one day it will click and I can play good tennis here.

Q. Why did you decide to stay on the court? I think Daniil left during the 10-minute break. Did you feel it was better for you to stay in your chair after the third?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, I don't know. I had so many things that I had to do, so I actually forgot I had this 10-minute break when he left. After couple of minutes I realize he was not on the court, so that's when I realize that that's the 10-minute break is on.

At the time that I realized that, it was already six minutes down, six minutes more, sorry. But I decided just to stay and think, make a plan of my tactics on that side. He was just better, better.

Q. Did you, by chance, see what happened with Cornet yesterday and changing her shirt on the court or flipping it around? If so, what are your thoughts about her getting penalized and the USTA apologizing for it?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I mean, I have nothing to do with that, anyway. What does this have to do with me?

Q. Well, some have said that there is a double standard for women and for men, and if a man had taken his shirt off and changed on the court there wouldn't have been a problem.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: No comment, really. I have nothing to say about it. I think they know better.

Q. When you're a kid, what do you remember about watching Serena and Venus Williams play each other as they may do again if they win their matches again?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, I used to watch them when I was younger, that's true. But I used to watch more men's tennis, not that much women's.

They inspire me, in a way. They are great athletes and they achieve so much in tennis. So I'll have to respect them because what they have done, both of them in tennis, is simply amazing.

Q. Do you think it would have made a difference the way you were feeling had you gone off the 10 minutes, a break, ice bath, or...
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I was thinking about it. But as I said, I thought to myself, six minutes more, I don't know if I will make it to the ice bath. I was pretty far away, the court we were playing. It was not like Djokovic yesterday who was next to the center court. He just walked in the locker room and did what he did.

But, no, I felt like it was a long distance for me, and it's not necessary to, you know, spend that much going back and forth.

So I don't know. Hopefully I'm going to use it more clever, this 10-minute break in the future, hopefully.

Q. Do you think it would have made any difference, the result, had you taken the break?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I mean, you never know. It all has to do with the momentum. So I don't know. Maybe, maybe not.

Q. (Question about lead-up tournaments to the US Open.)
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: For sure I'm disappointed. Well, I knew that -- in a way, I knew I had good matches in the past, like few weeks ago. I kind of felt tired from the beginning of the tournament. I didn't feel the same fire inside of me.

I did win the first-round match, but I did feel a bit empty, like -- I don't know. I mean, I shouldn't think anyways like this, but it's something to do with my mind, like, it's very annoying, because you really want to do well, but at the same time your body refuses to give 100%.

I don't know, because I really cannot understand why it is like this. I really want to do more, win more, but I feel like my body is not ready for that.

Well, I mean, it was not the worst US Open. I could have lost in the first round. I'm going to try to -- I'm going to try to get a rest and prepare for the next tournaments, which can possibly give me points and bring me higher in the ranking.

Q. The biggest stars here get some kind of advantage. It seems they play at night a lot of times when it's not crazy sunny like it is today.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, yeah, oh, my God, it was so tough to play outside there. I could feel it every single time I went to serve/return. I could feel all this heat coming into my face. I don't know if I'm red. I didn't check myself on the mirror, but I feel like my face is, like, burning right now.

Yeah, it was rough conditions to play.

Q. When you're playing in brutal conditions like that, is it mentally as draining as physically? Can you talk about what the mental strain is when the heat is so physical, as well.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, you know, yeah, it's mental, because you don't have fresh air to breathe. You breathe this heat that's coming, the moisture that's in the air. So you feel like you're empty. You're not breathing out, breathing in, breathing out, so it feels really awkward to be playing like this.

There is no fresh air. It's like you feel like you're playing in the desert, really. I don't know if the desert is that humid, but it feels -- mentally, yeah, I believe that the one that's gonna win this tournament is going to be the one that mentally is prepared for long matches in the heat and knows that he's gonna have to overcome the difficulties of the heat. So that's the guy who's gonna win the tournament.

Most possibly I believe it's Nadal. Yeah, he played well last year, so I believe he can do it well this year, as well.

Q. Now that your tournament is over, wondering if you're going to spend more time in New York City. I know you have an interest in photography and if there are any places you want to check out for inspiration?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: You know, I feel, like, empty right now, yeah. You know, you want to do all this stuff, but at the same time, you're not in a mood to go outside and do all these things that you enjoy doing.

But hopefully I can find -- I can cheer myself up a little bit. We'll see in the next couple of days. Maybe. Depends, as well, on my mood and if I still have this creative mindset.

Q. When you changed your shoes, was that also the heat coming through your feet?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, yeah, I think it was. It was a big slide I had at that point. I mean, I run a lot. Yeah, I mean, it never happen with the sole. It was always the shoelaces.

Yeah, I think it was the heat, yeah.

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