NITTO ATP FINALS

November 17, 2022

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Pala Alpitour, Torino

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/D. Medvedev

6-3, 6-7, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. The question is about tactics. The serve and volley was really good today. Was it the tactic that you didn't use before?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I have improved my serve over the course of the last few years. I think that is the reason why I am able to do that a bit more comfortably and with confidence. I come to the net much more smoother and relaxed on the serve, which in the past I believe was slightly different, the more the match went through.

I would say the serve. The volleys, I put a lot of work in, simplifying it without swinging too much. It has helped me to be consistent and finding the right spots when I come in.

Q. How much was it difficult to reset after the second set?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I've been playing a lot of tennis in my life. I had to deal with situations like this since I was a child.

It's never a nice feeling to have to start a new set, especially when you had a big opportunity like this a couple of times in the tiebreaker.

You have to reset. Easier said than done. But your mind needs to continue and take this as a separate new set. For sure it's something that you need to be on that level.

Q. You face Andrey Rublev in a winner-takes-all match. What are your thoughts?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: We've been playing good tennis. We've had matches against each other in the past, long matches, shorter matches, all kinds of matches, pretty much all surfaces.

Yeah, I wish I can rest well and go back on court tomorrow, work on a couple things, find myself ready for the new match.

Q. About the serve and volley, did you use it today just because it was Daniil and he doesn't like this, the surface is quick, or something you want to add in your game on the long-term?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: For sure it's something that can be added to my game. I've been using it a bit more than before. I've been using it even on clay. Not as much as let's say in recent years. Two, three years ago I did use it a lot.

I'm working day by day to introduce it back into my game, to have pretty much my opponent guessing a bit more, not get comfortable every single time.

It has kind of been lost over the years in our sport. Not many players do that any more. I think it's important to remain a big part of the game and to have more players play it on TV, in front of stadiums, big crowds.

It's a beautiful kind of transition from the serve to the net. It introduces so many things. It's tennis modernized, but at the same time keeping its aggressive elements of the game.