THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2022

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

N. KYRGIOS/S. Tsitsipas

6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Just give us your thoughts on that match.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I enjoyed my tennis today. I enjoyed the atmosphere out there. I enjoyed the way I fought and the way I tried to find solutions, being in control of the match.

A bit disappointed with some of the things that went down, especially when they are repetitive over and over again. It starts to really get -- it starts to get really difficult to ignore, in a way.

Yeah, it felt kind of a circus, in a way.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Do you think Nick goes over the line with his behavior on the court?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I like what his tennis has to bring to our sport. Like he's very different. That's not a bad thing.

But I don't think there has been a single match I have played with him that he was behaving that way. There comes a point where you really get tired of it, let's say.

The constant talking, the constant complaining. I mean, I'm about to serve, and there is a big gap there that there is no tennis being played, which is the most important thing in the court. We are there to play tennis. We are not there to have conversations and dialogues with other people, except -- especially actually, not "except" -- especially when you really know that the referee is not going to overrule what he decided, you know.

It's really silly, in a way. The referee has made a decision. I don't know. It's just like, how are you even going to change his mind? It doesn't work this way. You are there to play tennis. I have had a lot of experience with umpires.

Yeah, it's just like frustrating to see that people just get away with that. It's frustrating.

Q. He said after the match that he loved you and has such respect for you. But he also during the match said that you should be defaulted for hitting a ball. What did you make of that specific complaint?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Look, I have to say it was really bad from my side. I have never done that before, throwing the ball outside the court in that way.

I did apologize to the people. I don't know what went through my head at that time.

I think also he's part, you know, with all the circus show going on on the other side of the net. It started to become very tiring, in a way. You know, it's just like -- that happened. I didn't hit any people. It did hit the wall, thank God. For sure I'm never doing that again. It's my responsibility, for sure.

But there was also something that created that behavior that I'm not used to see myself.

Q. For years we have heard these complaints from other players, not just yourself, about playing Nick. Do you think there comes a point when the players themselves, that you in the locker room have to make a stand about this behavior? Because it's clear that officials are not really doing anything.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I wish we could all come together and put a rule in place. I don't know. Something about talking. Why would you be talking while you're playing? It makes no sense. You are out there to do your job. Tennis is "the" most important thing that we are doing out there.

Every single point that I played today I feel like there was something going on on the other side of the net.

I'm not trying to be distracted by that, because I know it might be intentional, because for sure he can play other way. And that's his way of manipulating the opponent and making you feel distracted, in a way.

There is no other player that does this. There is no other player that is so upset and frustrated all the time with something. It triggers it so easy and so fast.

I really hope all us players can come up with something and make this a cleaner version of our sport, have this kind of behavior not accepted, not allowed, not tolerated, and move on better.

Q. Curious about the point penalty you got, which was a return you hit into the back wall. How intentional was that from you? Were you trying to hit the return or what did you think of that call? You didn't seem to notice it until they announced the score the next game.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I was aiming for the body of my opponent but I missed by a lot, by a lot.

Q. You tried to hit him several times. Why?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Just to stop, you know. This needs to stop. It's not okay. Like, someone needs to sit down with him and talk, like, or -- I don't, like, I don't know what to say. There is frustration behind that, for sure.

I'm not used to play this way. But I cannot just sit there, act like a robot and act like someone that is completely cold and ignorant. You know, it has happened three, four times now. Okay, one time I understand, you know. But, like, if it starts happening two, three, four times, it really gets to your nerves. Because you're out there doing your job, and you have noise coming from the other side of the court for no absolute reason.

Q. Did you think at the end of the match that maybe you wouldn't have liked to shake hands? I saw you did it, but there was something that went through your mind as he shouldn't deserve me to shake hands with him? And also, once I saw that when you mishit a backhand, he shouted, Good shot. Do you remember that? What was your reaction?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, it's constant bullying, that's what he does. He bullies the opponents. He was probably a bully at school himself. I don't like bullies. I don't like people that put other people down.

He has some good traits in his character, as well. But when he -- he also has a very evil side to him, which if it's exposed, it can really do a lot of harm and bad to the people around him.

Myself, when I feel like other people disrespect me and don't respect what I'm doing from the other side of the court, it's absolute normal from my side to act and do something about it.

The handshake part, well deserved, well done for the great match, for sure, I need to congratulate my opponent. It's a thing I have been doing my entire life. I have never finished the match and not given my hand to the opponent simply because of his performance.

But attitude-wise, if there was a handshake for that, I would definitely be walking away from it, and that's how it is. It's not acceptable in any way.

Q. You sound quite chesty and sort of coldy. Are you ill? Do you believe that contributed to your performance at all? Have you tested for COVID, for example?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I have tested for COVID. It's just a cold. Yeah, it started when I came from Mallorca to here. Yeah, it's still pretty bad.

I really wanted to play Wimbledon, and for me, this tournament means a lot.

Q. I just wondered, take away the circus tonight, all of that, just about the tennis, what do you think the result would have been?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I really don't know. It's difficult to say, because you haven't seen it yourself.

But I don't think he could play without having a circus around. It's just the way he likes things being done, like he's on his own terms, his own way.

He just always gets away with it. I spoke to the umpire briefly, telling him that, You know, it's really crossing the line in many ways. I do understand he got a code violation for something he did. I remember one, two of the line umpires walking up to the referee and telling him something. So it happened twice, something might happen twice.

It just feels very messy. It just feels like disorganized in a way.

I guess without it, I mean, for sure a much better, more quality match also from his side, I suppose. Unless he doesn't think he can play this way, but I think it makes for better tennis playing the way it should be played, the normal way, like we do with every single other opponent that is out on the tour.