THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2023

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/D. Thiem

3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-7, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference of Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Stefanos, long match. How are you feeling physically?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: My body feels good. I know it was a five-setter, but I feel like there isn't any soreness or any major fatigue on my body right now.

Of course, there is a routine that I follow every single time. Regardless of whether I feel too tired or not, certain things need to be done. Definitely focusing on that to be ready for tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You played Andy in a very exciting US Open match a couple years ago. What are your memories of that match and did you settle the beef that happened there?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, I think it has been settled already long time ago. We had to play Laver Cup together in the same team. I've forgotten about it. He has forgotten about it.

He's someone that I respect. Obviously he's older than me. He has done great things in tennis. I'm looking forward to this match. I hope there's plenty for me to learn.

Regardless of the outcome, I feel like I really want to go out there and give it a shot and aim for being super strong and disciplined in that match because it will require lots of that. If I'm in there persistent and focused on my goal, I feel like anything is possible.

I'm hoping to be in that kind of mindset when I'm going to be facing him tomorrow.

Q. In Paris you spoke really poetically about what it's like to play on clay, your view of the court. What is your view of grass? What is it like for you to play on the grass?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The grass.

Q. Is there any poetry to it?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: There is poetry on grass.

I fought hard today. I won the match. I don't think I felt this empty after a win in a very long time. Of course, I'm happy and joyful that I overcame that obstacle and that I won. But there's just something about winning a big match on clay, when you have to move for hours, you feel sore, you're tired, your legs hurt, you have to slide around the court. It's a different feeling.

I feel clean. After the match I just feel my body clean. I feel obviously tired, but it's a different kind of tired. It didn't feel as gritty as it would have been, for example, on clay. And a much cleaner win in general, even though it was a five-setter.

I don't know if that makes any sense of what I'm trying to say. That's just a feeling that I get after a long, difficult match against Dominic, who I find difficult as an opponent.

But I don't know, it just doesn't happen very often. But I'll still take it. You know, it's a win. I'm hoping I can keep moving forward.

Q. Andy obviously finished playing his match a long time ago yesterday. He's had today to practice. Do you think that's a big advantage or you don't think it will make any difference tomorrow?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I won't know till I have to face him. He is a strong opponent, he has played on this court so many times. Grass suits his game very good. He has shown it with titles, two titles here, at Wimbledon. He has won Queen's in the past. He's a strong opponent on grass.

I played him once before on grass in Stuttgart. I need to up my game on this occasion. Looking forward on having to face his solid game, which will make it physical. That is something that I haven't been exposed to a lot on grass, but I will have to put in the work and make it work this way.

Q. In the first set you made a lot of key volleys, drop volleys in particular. I know you love being at the net, but what is the challenge of getting there on grass today at a time when people say it's slowed down, more favors baseliners?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: You have to be strategic with it. You don't want to overexpose yourself in front of the net. You don't want to have your opponent start feeling the angles and your movement when you're covering the net, especially if you are approaching without thinking of why you're approaching and what is your intention by approaching.

I do it selectively. My instinct guides me through it. It gives me sort of a direction of where I should be headed.

Coming to the net is a big asset of mine. I've been using it strategically the last couple of years, from what I can recall. Being on the tour. It has given me a lot of matches. I think makes me even more aggressive and dangerous as a player when I'm able to come at the net.

Today I felt like the percentage of winning points at the net was high. I don't know. That was my own personal feeling.

I'm just hoping I can combine all these things together, my baseline game, by serve, my volleys, and have them sort of blend in in a symphony.

Q. At the end of the match you stay a little moment on your chair. Please tell me what were your thoughts.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: What? Excuse me?

Q. What did you think after your victory on your chair?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I didn't know what to think. I mean, it was a long match. I went through a lot of emotions. I was trying to figure out why that last winner of mine didn't feel as I would have wished for it to feel. I really wanted it to happen, and it happened.

I wouldn't say I thought about a lot of things. It's a joyful moment, but a little bit empty.

Q. What do you do to kill time during the delays?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Talking to my coach. Getting some treatment for my body. Mainly watching tennis. They had the indoor matches going on on Court 1 and Centre Court that were being played during the rain delays.

I was analyzing Carlos Alcaraz. I was analyzing who else was playing there, Elena Rybakina. I was watching them play. Tried to focus a little bit on what they did and how they move and navigate around the court.

They're big examples for me, both Elena and Carlos, so I watched that.

Q. Two questions about your backhand. Not very common that there's two single-handed backhanders in a match. Is it kind of a recognition that you single-handed backhanders are a small but special group of people? Do you recognize that in other players? It's a very elegant shot. Do you in your mind have a view on whose is the most beautiful backhand?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I personally believe that the nicest single-handed backhand - of course, I don't want to include myself in there because that would be very selfish - but I really like Stan Wawrinka's backhand. I find it very harmonic. Has a very nice flow to it.

I don't know, it feels industrialized. It feels compact. Not as loose. But it has a very nice rhythm to it and flow. Which I remember watching him for the first time at the Australian Open when he had this very long match with Novak Djokovic. He was crushing those backhands.

I think at the time he was not even as developed as he was when he won three Grand Slams in Australia, Paris, and New York. It was his earlier years on the tour.

I remember how pleasant it was to watch him compete and play against one of the best players in the world at the time, how productive his one-handed backhand was switching it from cross to down the line.

In terms of elegance and beauty, I would probably say Gasquet's is a beautiful backhand. Otherwise Roger's.

But I feel like Stan's single-handed backhand down the line is much better, in my opinion, having played him. But Roger has a very nice flow, as well. It's poetry when you watch it. He can mix up the slice, which makes it an interesting combination, switching from a single-handed backhand topspin to a slice.

Q. A little bit more on the description of your feelings right now after the win today, the feeling of emptiness. Is it good emptiness? Is it all bad?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I don't know. I'm working on it. We'll find a way, I guess. Definitely not negative. I mean, I worked so hard on that court today. Sometimes I feel like I'm playing well, I'm returning well, and I'm still not able to convert break points and win return games of mine. It kind of feels like, What is going on? I feel great. My returns are deep. I'm able to play smartly, but still I end up being on a tiebreaker when, in fact, I should be winning the set at least with a break up. That sort of emptiness, I guess.

That's everything that I have to say.