AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2022

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/J. Sinner

6-3, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Was this your best match in 2022 so far?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, we're just getting started (smiling). It's too early to decide whether it was or not, but it was a great performance from start to finish with no doubt and clear game plan.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. After your first serve, 90% of the time you hit a forehand. That's something you planned on the training, or that was something specific against Sinner?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: That is something that came to me, and I just used it. That was really not part of the plan. I saw the opportunity, and I went for it with my forehand.

Q. Are you cold?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yes (smiling).

Q. On the court you talked about humility quite a few times. I'm curious how you came to think that is an important part of winning tennis matches?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah. You know when you're dancing and when you're doing well, you tend to glorify yourself, as if you are untouchable. It is important in that process to remain on the ground and to remind yourself that you are a human being who is aiming for something great, and you're headed towards that direction and you're doing everything possible in order to achieve that greatness. Perfection doesn't exist but close to perfection, and that's what I meant by that.

Q. Was there anything that actually sparked it? The elbow injury or a couple of defeats? What sparked this process of thinking?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: A lot of things. You know, my injuries have taught me a lot of things. My injuries have taught me how to wait and be patient and prepare better, take the time to reflect and take the time to reconsider certain things in life.

Being in the position of being privileged in the position where you get to have a great setup where you can go back and practice every single day and have people that work with you and have people that care for you is something that is underestimated. That has nothing to do with the question, but humility stems from your everyday life, and not thinking of yourself as more, let's say -- not consider yourself, not considering yourself over others, because we're all equal.

Q. I know you don't want to talk about how good this performance was, whether it was best of the year, but how much better do you feel about your performance today than the others in this tournament that came before?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, so far it has been the most consistent and the best match I've had on the tournament. That is it. What was the question again? I'm sorry. I wasn't able to capture everything.

Q. Of the five matches you have played this tournament, how much better do you feel about today's one than the previous four?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, way better. My tennis showed that.

Q. On court you had a message for Dr. Frank and the good things he's done for you, and also that he felt that you weren't going to be at this Australian Open. Can you expand a little bit on how real your concerns were and what he's done for you?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, Dr. Frank spoke from experience that he had with other players that he treated and put that into consideration. He was kind of surprised. My healing process was faster than he would have expected, and he was -- I don't know. He was probably telling me this to push me a little bit more without me realizing that. I don't know what his intentions were, but he wasn't thinking too big. He was humble.

Q. We don't know your semifinal opponent yet, but if it's Daniil Medvedev, I'm wondering how you would describe your relationship with him and what's the biggest challenge about facing him on the hard court?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Why specifically him?

Q. Just because he's the favorite in that match.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: About our relationship? Well, it's fine. It kind of got better after Laver Cup. We haven't really spoken in the last couple of months, but our relationship is competitors on the court and kind of fighting for the same dream.

Q. You came out and started the match really well. Wondering how you felt coming into this against a really talented young player and how you felt and again how you started, how you felt at the beginning.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, I knew I was going to face a Jannik who was hungry and who wants to show his best out there.

Speaking from, like, his previous encounters and matches that he played, you know, he seemed to be really fired up and giving 100% every single match. I was really fired up myself to bring the best out of my game today, and I tried to get my level as high as possible, because I knew that I need to form that kind of standard from early on.

Q. I have heard a little bit of talk in the past that you haven't exactly loved the hot, humid conditions. Certainly didn't look like it today. Do you feel better equipped these days in those conditions than in the past? Are you looking forward to playing at night, I guess, the next match?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I don't feel like it's humid here. Is it? Not really.

The conditions, it's hot obviously, but it's not humid. It would have been different if it's humid.

Q. Obviously going from those sort of hot conditions today, do you prefer sort of the nighttime here? Obviously you had that win against Federer the other year, that that should probably suit your game?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, I'm ready for anything (smiling).

Q. You used the word "untouchable" earlier on when you spoke. Players often also talk about being in a zone. Do you think, now that we're midway through the second week of the Australian Open, that you have gone into a bit of a zone with your focus and the way you're playing? Especially after what you produced tonight.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I feel like I'm in the zone. I have no plans of getting out of it. It's part of my game.

Q. Were you astonished with what you produced in this match? Had it something to do that you have totally forgotten that you ever had the operation?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Thank you. Well, it's tough to forget, because I get messages every day by Dr. Frank, so it's in the back of my mind somewhere.

Coming into the match, you know, you're trying to get the best out of your game. You're not thinking, you're not trying to predict what's going to happen. Oh, I might get away with it in three sets? You don't think this way. You are just focused set by set. You're trying to get as close as possible to clinching every single set, and eventually it's the total amount that you get in return at the end.

You never know what you're going to get. Every match is different, and you need to be prepared for each and every battle no matter what your opponent is going to bring out there.