BNP PARIBAS OPEN

October 13, 2021

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/A. de Minaur

6-7, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. My question is about motivation. You played 69 matches this season. For you personally, what is your motivation at this time of the year?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Finish the year in the top three.

Q. What do you think you've been improving as the tournament has gone on? Anything in particular you find you're doing quite well?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Fighting and putting my soul out there. Little bit also of magnitude [sic] and appreciation towards my efforts. I'm very grateful that I get to play tennis.

I think any single opportunity presents itself, it's fair to say that I'm trying to get the most out of it. That is something that I'm personally grateful for.

Q. Regarding the Australian Open, the local government in Australia has suggested players to get vaccinated before coming to play at the tournament. There is a possibility players who are not vaccinated could face more restrictions, quarantine. Will you play under such conditions in Australia?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I will play under the conditions that have been set now. I think it's fair.

Q. Talk a little bit about how well you played out there and what you were able to do to win.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: We both played great, long rallies, battling from the baseline, trying to move the ball left to right. There were a lot of exchanges. It got really physical. I was ready for the challenge to make it physical. I was ready to leave my last breath and really, like, go and wait and not rush it.

That took a lot of willpower. It's one thing said and one thing done. I was ready to stay for three more hours on the court.

Q. You were talking about how thankful you are. You always seem that way. Is there something in particular that made you self-reflect on that or something you happened to think of?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Tennis is my passion and tennis is something that I always wanted to be professionally involved with. It's great. Everyone has their goals and everyone has their own aspirations of what they want to become in life. Sometimes it can get difficult. Lots of traveling, lots of staying in hotel rooms and stuff. But there is a lot of excitement behind all of this. There's a lot of thrill that comes with it.

Look, I don't think many players feel grateful. Some players have said that they do it for financial reasons, other players say they do it because they have nothing else to do, or just tennis chose them most importantly.

I would describe it as, like, I guess I was destined to play tennis. I don't see myself doing anything else. I've accepted that. My family has been involved in that. That is one more thing to be grateful for.

I'm very happy to have met all of you guys and still have those interactions with you. You make the sport better as well.