WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 23, 2020

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/K. Anderson

6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you feel out there? Didn't seem at all that you were rusty or anything. I know you did play some matches, but it's still the first official tournament since March. Were you feeling as comfortable as you looked?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yes, I was. Right on point. I was returning indeed very well, and knowing that I can get in the rally and start a point gave me some confidence.

I was feeling great with my serve. Wasn't really much to be concerned with, only at the very last of the second set where he was Love-40 up, but I put in some extra effort, a bit more concentration.

In that game I managed to come back and win that game, which getting back in the game, it's always tricky. When you win easy the first set, it's always tricky coming in in the second one.

Obviously the opponent wants to do better and will put extra effort to prove different in the second set, and that was the thing I was most concerned with.

An excellent match. I mean, I don't want to overcomplicate it, an excellent match from the beginning to the end. Aggressive game. There weren't really many rallies in that game, but that was also part of my tactic and the way I approached my game from early on.

Q. How was it playing on Grandstand with it so empty? You weren't sure how it was going to feel. How was it?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: It was fine. I wasn't really concentrated on where I'm playing. Doesn't really make, I guess, a huge difference when you have no fans watching the match.

Of course it's quite different. You know, you're not used to playing Cincinnati at the US Open. You're thinking, am I playing US Open? But you're actually playing Cincinnati. So that's something different.

The court conditions are great so far. Some of the courts I have practiced are faster than other ones. But that's with every single tournament I played on the ATP circuit.

Again, the speed of the court was medium to slow, and I think that benefited me kind of.

Q. I know when you're in New York, you take your camera, you go take pictures and do all of these things. I'm wondering, now that you can't do that, is it affecting your time back at the hotel? Or have you found other ways to keep yourself busy?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The tournament has quite a few activities and entertainment rooms in our hotel, so that's where I spend my free time when I'm back at the hotel. A few arcade games, some Ping-Pong.

There isn't really much to film and take photographs of at the place we are staying, and we are of course not allowed to be outside.

I try to put that on the side for now. I know it's not the most important thing, and I'm not given the opportunity to do that. I do that in my town later, when I'm back home or wherever else I am.

Q. You are kind of mentally prepared for that, going to New York, that you've accepted this situation and didn't overthink it?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Sure, I'm not such an addict of taking photos and filming everything all the time. I know when the moment is right. It is a part-time hobby.

But I also try and discover new things. It is always fun to do many different separate things and not just focus on just one thing. It's also great that I can finally make kind of a living from my photography.

You know, this has enabled so many things for me. In the beginning it started as a hobby, and now it's kind of helping me financially, I would say, something that I have on the side, so it's quite great for the moment.

Q. How do you make money out of it?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I have sold some of my photos. I have done some work for some clients or small businesses and companies, of course when I have free time. I don't do this in front of my tennis.

But during quarantine I got asked by a few companies and a few small businesses to do some promo for them and create some promos for them. I'm really excited to be doing stuff like this. It enables for my creation to expand further. It's a problem-solving situation for me.