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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 28, 2020

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

S. TSITSIPAS/D. Evans

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What are your thoughts on the match?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I played really well, both my forehand and backhand side. Obviously I was dominating a lot from my forehand side. I was constructing and building the point from the forehand side. It helped tremendously get, like, the lead and the upper hand, kind of being more in charge.

I think that was something that helped me get those breakpoints when I had to. My service games were close to excellent. I was just playing with a clear head and not thinking of too much, staying in the moment, trying to process of what potentially he's going to use on the court.

Yeah, I didn't feel it was a threat. I had time, I had space. It was just a matter of time for me to take the lead and get up in the score.

Q. Some players can find that it's extra pressure when they go to a tournament having to defend. With Marseille and this week, you must be proud of how you handled that. How have you been handling that mentally?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, I mean, I don't know how to say it. I had similar situations a few months ago when I had to defend my Toronto final. I was playing Montreal. That was a really bad match. I think that was also a period where I was really stressed. Yeah, that was a different me back then.

It was quite disappointing because I was thinking about it all the time, how I'm going to defend my final in Toronto. That was stressful, so it came out on the court. I'm learning from it. I'm trying to reduce that as much as I can.

I know tennis is a constant circle that keeps repeating itself over and over again, same tournaments, same locations, same players.

I'm sort of in a mindset where I don't really think of defending. I was more kind of like adding because it's ATP Race, too. It's not ATP, like, regular rankings. I don't know how to call it. I'm thinking more of the ATP Race and making it to the Nitto ATP Finals at the end of the year. I need to know how this works for me in order to play again there.

Q. If Novak plays tomorrow against you, what do you think about him?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: He's in really good form and shape. He's been playing great tennis. Everybody has seen what he did at Australian Open.

For sure I'm going to have to bring the best out of my game and reduce my mistakes and in general reduce everything, stay aggressive like today I would say.

He's just a solid player. Everything is good: forehand, backhand, serve. Very consistent, very solid. Doesn't miss a lot. It's going to take something extra for me to beat him tomorrow. I'm going to try and seek for that.

Q. Given how good his return is, does that put a lot of pressure on your return game to break him?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, yeah, his serve is really good. It's not really fast. It's very well-placed, Novak's serve. I think if I manage to do what he does when he starts the rally, stays in the rally, that's what he does the best. He applies pressure straightaway. He tries to find the depth of the court, be in charge straightaway.

If I manage to do the same and I try and preserve that, stay on every single point there, I feel like there are going to be opportunities that will be presented at some point. Just got to focus on that.

Q. What do you like about being in Dubai?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The people. I like the people.

Q. Have you had a chance to look around much?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, Dubai is a place I visited so many times. I was here for pre-season. It's almost like home for me now. I know all the places. I don't even need a map to navigate somewhere. I know where the sea is, the mall is, the palm tree is, all the hotels are. That means I've really been spending time here.

JULIA SALNIKOVA (Stefanos' mother): I'm following you to the press conference to make sure I'm aware how you feel, what is your statements.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Oh, yeah (smiling).

JULIA SALNIKOVA: I'm just wondering, I'm not sure you really know so much about...

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Did she read the statements I said a few days ago? That's why she's here (laughter).

JULIA SALNIKOVA: I don't spend so much time with you. This is my chance. What I want to ask you is, I'm not sure you are really so much aware of the number of these great tennis players followed by the parents.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Actually you're a journalist, right? True, verified.

JULIA SALNIKOVA: The question is, are you really aware of the number of the great tennis players that were helped and followed by the parents on the tour?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah.

JULIA SALNIKOVA: What are some names, please?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Mostly females I know. Males, not that many. Right now there aren't many players that are followed, except Alexander Zverev.

JULIA SALNIKOVA: Marat Safin, as well.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Was he? We'll have it verified.

JULIA SALNIKOVA: Andrey Rublev was coached by his mother a lot.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Not any more.

JULIA SALNIKOVA: It's always there.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: It's always there, okay (laughter).

JULIA SALNIKOVA: Martina Hingis, Sanchez-Vicario, Capriati, so very many. They were all great players.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I want to know male players with Grand Slam titles, top 5.

JULIA SALNIKOVA: Maybe you can be the first one.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Okay, good.

Q. A question about Novak. Not many people have the kind of record you have with Novak. You're even, 2-2. How much pride do you take in that record? Why do you think you're able to play so well against him?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I guess I just respect him a lot. I come in knowing that it's not your regular guy. You just have to give more than usual. My attention span has to be there. That was it, I guess.

I mean, I can see the bright side of it having a positive record. I'm going to try and stay humble. I'm doing well. I'm doing my job correctly. I should continue everything the way I do it.

Yeah, it's great having a positive record against Novak. I don't know if it helps or not, but I obviously want more. That's for sure.

Q. The opportunity to possibly play Monfils. In that case, Monfils leads you in the head-to-head. What do you think of that opportunity?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Monfils leads me in the head-to-head?

Q. Actually you're 2-1.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I am. I was surprised.

Q. You lead him in the head-to-head.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Shanghai, here, then Sofia. We play only three times.

Q. No one has talked about Monfils as a possibility.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I did before.

No, I mean, he's behind every ball. He runs a lot. He gets every ball back. It's quite difficult because he also combines it with good serves.

I think you cannot just mess around with him. You just have to be careful every single time. He can always surprise you with shots that you don't expect, like fast forehands if you give him a little bit of time.

Also he's in a really good streak right now. How many wins? 13 in a row I think. He won Rotterdam. Yeah, he's hyped. He's there. He's doing well.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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