THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 27, 2021

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How are you feeling and how did you spend the time between the French Open final and now?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Meaning where I went?

Q. What did you do? What did you need to do to be mentally ready for Wimbledon?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, I immediately came here. Spent a few days in the countryside just outside London. Had a few days off for relaxation, some good physiotherapy and rehab for my body to be ready for the grass court season.

That's all the time off that I had, few days, four or five days. Yeah, started practicing like almost eight days ago, getting back to the new style of tennis, which is the grass court tennis.

Q. What are your thoughts on the history that Novak Djokovic is trying to make and the way he is playing?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: He's a complete player. He has the potential to do it. We as the younger generation, I don't call me the younger generation anymore, but we are hungry and we want something similar one day.

Obviously we're there to stop him. Obviously we're there to try and kind of put a stop at that dream of his. It's going to be difficult. Me personally, I find it very challenging playing against him. I think he's one of the greatest players tennis has seen. It's this way for a reason. He has worked so hard to get there. He's someone that I think just right now thinks he's the best. That's why he's been playing this way.

Also I have to say that grass court is a surface that he's been confident and playing good. For me personally, I have a long way to go in order to face him in this tournament. It won't be any easier for I think both of us.

Q. Grass is obviously not kind of your best surface so far, but you obviously have kind of a lot of qualities to do well on it. I was wondering what you feel you need to do to master grass? What is still left for you to do to play your best tennis on this surface?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Look, I think I'm a player that can come to the net. I'm confident when it comes to serving and volleying, moving in. The surface has become slightly slower over the years, has been adapted more for baseline players, given the opportunity for baseliners, good baseliners, to dominate and do well on that surface.

Well, right now I don't think I had enough matches. I didn't really have a lot of tournaments on grass. I never really played more than a tournament before the Wimbledon Championships. I think for me, I'm a player that I rely a lot on playing matches, getting confident through the process of winning. I haven't had that opportunity yet.

For sure with experience and having had that experience in the past, that obviously helps me move on, see things a different way than I used to before.

Q. Two years ago after your elimination in first round from Fabiano, you were very disappointed. In the press conference after the match you wondered does it make more sense to play tennis. I hope you remember that. If someone told you then you will play the final of the Roland Garros, you probably would not believe. How do you see the statement from today's perspective?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: First of all, let me say that I was a completely different person than I am now. I will probably say not as confident as I am now. I relied a lot on my confidence back then. Most certainly I didn't really have Plan B or Plan C. I just kind of had my one way of playing. That was also because of lack of experience, not being on the tour for long enough.

I was disappointed. I was also miserable that time of the year. Didn't feel really well. I wasn't really enjoying what I was doing out there. It took me a while to kind of readjust and understand what's the reason I'm out on the court, what's the reason I'm out there playing the sport that I love, playing the sport that I have dedicated most of my life to.

I can tell you that right now I'm feeling happy every single day. I'm grateful that I'm able to do what I love, that I'm able to be with people that I most certainly want them to be there.

It's been a beautiful journey. I see no difference if I'm going -- in my personal growth, I see no difference whether I win this tournament or whether I leave early. I am a happy person regardless of the outcome of the next two weeks. I'm grateful that I'm able to live the way I live.

There's no reason for such disappointment or so much drama any more, I think.

Q. Considering what you were just saying about your thoughts on the fact that you haven't played lead-up matches or tournaments. In one sense are you maybe playing down your chances over here?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, again, I haven't really played much on grass. I've practiced a couple of times. I've played a few practice sets.

I'm feeling all right on grass. I think it will take few matches for me to start gaining more confidence. Right now, honestly, I just want to see how each single match that I get to play here will evolve and what are my opportunities going to be.

No one knows. The future is kind of uncertain. No one knows how things are going to be. Honestly, grass court is a surface that I love. But probably last year -- two years ago, I didn't really have the best result, the result that I expected. It was kind of something that torn me apart.

I expect something better. Again, it's not the end of the world. I just prioritize myself, my well-being out on the court, me feeling kind of happy, joyful when I get to play tennis because it's such a traditional, historic tournament. We don't get this opportunity very often.