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ATP CUP

January 7, 2020

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

N. KYRGIOS/S. Tsitsipas

7-6, 6-7, 7-6

Australia - 2

Greece - 0

THE MODERATOR: First question.

Q. It was a tight match, three tiebreaks, just what were your thoughts on the level out there today and how you played?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I was serving well. My return of serve was poor. It's difficult to return Nick's serve. He has a very complex, a very difficult toss to read. So that was something that I had to work my way through and get to understand it a little bit, get to pick a side sometimes. But the match was pretty good. I enjoyed it, although I had moments where I was frustrated or angry, I think. Coming out of this match I learned a few things. It was a lot of fun playing out there and good on him. He put a lot of hard yacca out today. That's something I learned today.

(Y UCC A? )

Q. I guess I'll ask the obvious one. It appeared that you hit your dad accidentally with your racket. Can you just explain what he said and how that all went down, I guess?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: It was fine. It happened accidentally. I didn't mean to do it and straight away forgot about it and moved on from there. It happens. I wasn't -- I wasn't aiming to do that, so it's just it went out of control, unfortunately.

Q. Not grounded or anything like that?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Maybe, yeah, maybe I'll stay in my room for three days, grounded by my father (laughing).

Q. Was it -- and then he moved sort of at the back with the rest of the team. Was that his idea or your idea or?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Probably his idea, yeah.

Q. Just frustrated? He was getting a bit frustrated too?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah maybe. I didn't ask him. I should ask him. Speak to him later.

Q. How do you feel you placed ahead of the Australian Open now? I mean, there's some tough matches that you had.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I feel good. There's nothing I'm worrying right now. I feel good with my game, with my physical. The only thing that might concern me a little bit is when I come close to matches I feel like I've lost this competitiveness within me. Sometimes I feel like I'm -- I remember a few months ago I had the tendency to be more in the zone, really, really concentrated and knew what I was doing, playing very aggressive. Sometimes I feel like I get too passive and I'm not really into the match, which, I don't know, probably a few technical issues that I have to work on and not to think too much of my technique and work on my tactics more.

Q. I suppose, the frustration aside tonight, the concept as a whole for you the week, the week here, and how do you feel it works as a preparation, I suppose ahead of a Grand Slam.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: It's great. I start taking it more seriously on the, on our second meeting with Germany. First one was a bit strange, I would say, with Canada. I don't know if I really had to take it seriously or it was like it felt almost like an exhibition in the very beginning. As more I played, as more I realized it's, you know, it's serious and I have to play it as I play any match. So I really enjoyed my time here. I really hope next year we'll come back stronger, we do better. We experience things this week and the whole team, I hope the same team comes with us next year. So good first impressions and I'm definitely, I definitely want to come next year again and play better.

Q. You guys were very close tonight, obviously, with Michail as well. How close do you think Greece is to getting a win or two here and then maybe making the final?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I'm really proud of Michail. He put an excellent performance today against Millman. He's a player who started -- he's starting basically now, he went to college, he started, so for him I've seen him, improvements in his game. When I first saw him I remember the level difference. In the Davis Cup, he has improved a lot. He's very focused in what's doing. Willing to learn from me, from my father. He has a great coach next to him. So that's a relief for me because I know when it comes to team competition I'm not the only one out there. I have another singles player who can play really well, who can show beautiful tennis like he showed today against Millman, being aggressive, coming to the net. That was very nice to see. Not many players -- he has something special in his game. Proud of myself also. I tried as much as possible. I also think we had a difficult draw here in Brisbane, but we played with what we have. So Canada, Australia, who else we got? Germany, one of the strongest nations in the game, playing against a small, tiny little nation like Greece has no history in tennis at all, you know, you got to feel proud. We fought very hard and we wanted to prove to the rest of the world that you can play tennis anywhere in the world.

Q. Just listening to what you were saying about not being sure to make of the event at the beginning --
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The what?

Q. You said you weren't sure what to make of the ATP Cup at the beginning, whether it's an exhibition, whether it's something different. That's been a question for us, too, because it's brand new, so we don't know, is it important, is it not important, is it big, is it small, is it players playing for themselves and ranking points or playing for a country, or what. I mean do you feel like have you a better understanding of it now or are we not going to know until it's over exactly how to categorize this tournament?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I do get a better understanding of it now. I think also the fact that this tournament's brand new, obviously, you got a little bit of information of how this tournament's going to be played, you come here, and you don't know what to expect. I knew a few things, a few details, about this tournament. And the ATP introduced it and it was a great idea. It was just, you know, a sore start, I would call it. Didn't really know of how to take it. And I've never played an event like this my life, so I guess that's normal. I know what's an exhibition, I know what's an ATP 1000 or a Grand Slam, so it does, for me, this tournament has a lot of points and I can benefit from it, yeah.

Q. Between now and the Australian Open what are your plans next week? Are you playing or just practicing or what are you doing?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: We'll be playing the Kooyong next week. I'll stay in Melbourne and prepare for the Australian Open.

Q. So you're happy with the Kooyong Classic?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, that's my preparation tournament.

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