THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2023

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/L. Djere

6-4, 7-6, 6-4

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

Stefanos, how are you feeling out on court today?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Good to keep it in three sets today. I've had some long matches the last four days. I'm really happy with myself with how I dealt with all the situations today on court, keeping it on point.

Of course, the three-set win this time means a lot. Hoping to recover better and get back in action the next few days. Just a little bit more rested.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You haven't played your next opponent, but what have you seen of him, what do you know about him?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Who is my next opponent?

Q. Christopher Eubanks.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Okay. We practiced together a few weeks ago in Stuttgart. He's a good player on grass. We've had a good practice with him. We had a similar game style. He serves and volleys. He takes the ball early.

He did also very well recently in the last week in Mallorca. He's on a good run. Obviously we haven't played each other before. We haven't had the opportunity to play in a match.

I like his game. I'm going to try to do the best I can to break it or to impose my game over his. This is definitely my strategy. He is a tall guy that can serve well, which is going to be something that I will be completely aware of and trying to extract from that as much as I can.

His serve will be something that will be challenging for sure in our match. Working on those returns. I will try to make him work for it.

Q. You had a difficult tournament here in 2019 and 2021. Last year third round. Going well this year. How do you feel your game is developing, grass court game, and what areas are you still looking to improve on?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, one thing that has improved perhaps this year than last year is my comfort attacking and playing from baseline, sticking close to the baseline and rallying. Something that wasn't the case so much last year. I feel good staying back and rallying and trying to come up with big shots.

My serve and volley game is also an asset that I do use from time to time when I'm on the court, sort of as a surprise element or whenever I feel like I really want to be aggressive on this point, I might go for it.

I don't know how much I served and volleyed last year, perhaps less. But my overall approach this year is much more refined, much more disciplined in many areas and ways, I feel like.

All the opponents here can serve well. Certainly they can return well, too. So I have to mix it up as much as I can. It is important for me to keep an open mind in terms of slicing, using my topspin, sometimes taking it a bit more early, using those flat shots to come in. Very important for me and my game on grass.

Q. Different players have different approaches to talking about the championship. At the beginning Carlos Alcaraz said his goal is to win the championship. You're somebody who has been deep in majors. What are your thoughts about talking about it and having the goal from the beginning of the tournament?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I like his mindset and the way he thinks about the championship. Yeah, I'm here, and there's only one mission for me, I totally get it.

I'm more the approach of just let's take it match by match. Players are on top form. There's a lot of players that performed this week, do well, feel well. This is the sort of challenge I'm dealing with every single time I step out on the court. There's a different variation and style of player I'm about to be facing.

Today I had a completely player than I did, for example, with Andy Murray, where mentally I felt like was a different challenge on its own, having to play against Andy. He wasn't giving a lot of unforced errors. He wasn't attacking as much as my opponent today did. At the same time he wasn't giving unforced errors.

The mindset kind of changes and shifts towards something different. Well, of course I would love to be in the position of winning Wimbledon. I feel like every single match that I get to play, I'm a step closer to that.

What else can I say? It would be great if I could. I'm also of the philosophy that you shouldn't force things too much, I feel like, you know? If you force too much, you end up going against it sometimes. Just like let it kind of flow on its own.

Q. When does that championship trophy enter your mind when you're in a tournament?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The final. The final is the place where you think about it. I've had the chance. There are few players that had the chance to play Grand Slam final. In my instance, it was twice.

These two moments were the highlights of my career so far. You tend to reflect so much more when you're about to step out to play a final, especially of this caliber. So many things kind of overwhelm you. First and foremost you think of your childhood, of how far you've come to be here, your little town where you started playing at the beach courts of your little town that were asphalt courts with lines on them, plants growing on them. A complete sort of imperfect court, not the best conditions to be playing tennis at.

Suddenly you find yourself at the hallowed grounds of Rod Laver Arena or Philippe Chatrier, fighting for a dream that millions of kids have dreamt. It kind of hits you hard. This is my moment. I've earned this moment. I've worked so hard for this moment.

That is the moment you probably think about it more than any other moment in your career. I think it's absolutely normal 'cause that also means that you care so much for it. You've put so much into it. You're present, in fact. You are just present.

Q. Have you ever had a start to a Grand Slam like this, playing five consecutive days? How do you feel physically?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: No, I haven't. This is a first timer for me. I was earlier in the locker rooms, the gym getting ready for my doubles match with my brother, only to find out that it's not meant to be today. For another time, again. Quite unusual.

I've dealt with these situations in junior tournaments before maybe once or twice. I don't think to that degree in any professional tournament that I've played in my career. Yeah, that's the very first time.