ROLAND GARROS

October 1, 2020

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/P. Cuevas

6-1, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a good win today. As we know, the intensity at a Grand Slam is very different than that of a normal ATP event. For you, which will be the biggest challenge, the physical challenge or the emotional challenge?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Right now the way I see it it will be the physical challenge of playing a Grand Slam.

Yeah, Grand Slam tournaments are way different than any other tournaments we get to play the rest of the year. So it is very challenging coming in in one of them and it requires very good physicality.

It's different mindset. It's a different mindset. Sometimes your mindset is, okay, I go in and I finish it in two, but here you have one more, and you have to be prepared for longer matches. It can turn out to be unpredictable sometimes. You have to have long-term concentration.

Sorry. I'm trembling. I just got out of the ice bath.

Yeah, you do have to think long term and not so much short term. It's important to get in every single match thinking that way.

Q. I couldn't help but notice and I see you have it now, too, your dad wearing the mask with your face on it and you have it as well. Is there a story behind those masks?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: There is a story behind that. I was sitting in Cipriani in New York one day after my exit with a friend, and my friend goes, Look, I saw these masks online of yours. Do you know anything about them? I'm, like, No, but they would look really cool and I would like to have some of them.

So I bought like 30 straightaway, different masks. I think there are only three of them. As I saw also the creator, the artist, also made other masks for other players, so I was not the only one. I was not her favorite.

But now I do know she has an Instagram account. It says it even here. I'll try and get in touch with her, because I really like her idea and her masks.

So there you have it. There you have the story. I bought 30 of them, and I handed out to the team. So now we are more organized (smiling).

Q. In his match today, Denis Shapovalov had a very close call against him. There was a ball which was good from the chair umpire but the Hawk-Eye showed that it was out. Afterwards he posted on Twitter a photo of the screen of his shot and he said: When we have Hawk-Eye on clay. Just wondering your opinion on that. Do you think we should have it or not?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, that's tricky. Was it in a match point or something?

Q. It was at 5-4, 30-15, and it would have given him two match points.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Oh, wow. Yeah, that's sad, for sure.

I think it's time for, yeah, for sure it's time for Hawk-Eye on clay. I don't understand why they haven't proceeded. But if technology allows us to do far beyond more things that, yeah, current knowledge allows us, I do believe they should implement that into tennis. Doesn't really matter the surface. That's innovation, and we have to keep growing and keep adding new things to the sport that will help make the sport better and more fair.

So I fully support that there should be Hawk-Eye in every surface on tennis, regardless of whether it's clay or grass.

I know it does leave a mark, but sometimes it's not as accurate as people think it is.

Q. You just told us that you're recovering from your experience in the ice bath. Obviously we're nonprofessionals. I haven't had that experience. Could you tell us what that experience is like and what it feels like, what you hate about it, what the rewards are. Can you remember your first experience in the ice bath?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Oh, wow. First experience in the ice bath. It was probably the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy where I train. I won't say very much. I will just say it's very good for recovery.

If you want to learn and know more about it, there is a great person that promotes and shows people the health benefits of ice baths and cold water. His name is Wim Hof. I know as a fact that Caroline Wozniacki met him and did some things with him a couple months ago which was really cool. You should check him out. He has a book. His method is incredible.

Q. Do you think it would help journalists ask better questions if we had an ice bath?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Oh, probably (smiling). I don't know. There is definitely a reward in your body. I think it will also affect your mental part, you will have clearer mindset and better thoughts I'd like to think.

It has lots of benefits. You should check them out. I'm not an expert, but definitely Wim has all the answers to that.