INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 12, 2022

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/K. Khachanov

4-6, 6-0, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. If someone says that Tsitsipas maybe small weakness is that he has sometimes some gaps, gaps of some concentration, that you may play very well one set, but maybe one set you lose, because it's almost inexplicable sometimes. Is that correct or is it a wrong idea? If you have a gap of two, three or four games where you don't play at your best, is it a matter of concentration or something else?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Tennis is the most difficult sport that exists. If you make few mistakes, you can find yourself really on the back foot. One break in our sport, in men's tennis, could mean a lot. You find yourself chasing all the time.

To be honest with you, not a great way of serving today at the first set. Rushing a lot, having too many things on my head all at once.

Q. Having what?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Too many things going through my head when serving.

Once I established a clear picture and focused on time, then it was a lot different in terms of being able to make the right decisions at the right time.

He played good. He returned well. He seemed to be swinging through the shots freely which gave me, you know, more to work with.

Q. You have tough matches in the last two days. Tomorrow you will face two opponents: Sinner and the Italian public. Do you love to play in front of a public very loud?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, my job is to go out there and play tennis. Of course, he has a little bit more, let's say, support, which is normal. He's going to have some things that are in favor, in his favor.

But at the end I need to play good tennis and really prove myself out on the court.

Q. Do you like to play in such hot conditions or you would rather do it with a little bit colder climate, by evening, for example?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I absolutely enjoy very much.

Q. You beat Sinner very easily in Australia. He has always lost against the top five players. Everybody thought that one of the reasons why he split up with his long-time coach, Riccardo Piatti, was because when he was facing a player like you, he was anticipating a lot, taking time, always in troubles. Do you think playing him on clay is completely different, can be completely different, story or could be almost the same for you, comparing the type of game that you have and that he has?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Every match is a different story.

Q. Surface.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Different surface.

We've played each other on clay, but every match has its own story to tell. I know for a fact that he's going to go out there playing free and is going to be very much motivated to do well in front of his home crowd.

I'm going to have to deal with this and also deal with my tennis at the same time.