NITTO ATP FINALS

November 14, 2023

Stefanos Tsitsipas

Pala Alpitour,Torino

Press Conference

H. RUNE/S. Tsitsipas

2-1 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Unfortunately Stefanos had to retire with a back injury. He's out of the tournament. He has to go for further tests now. He'll say something first up and then we'll take a couple of questions.

Stef.

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: First of all, hello, everyone. My apologies to all the fans and the crowd that came to support me today and watch the match. I'm really gutted that I wasn't able to finish the match. It's a shame also not to give that spot to someone else to at least try and do something with it.

My doctors and the countless visits that I had in last few days suggested that I play, gave me the green light to go and try it for myself, so...

Unfortunately, I felt terrible on the court. I did what I could do in the best possible way to be ready and fit for this match, but it didn't work out for me.

I hate retiring from matches. I'm not the kind of person that likes leaving mid match. It kills me not to be able to finish this tournament, the one that I've prepped for for so long, made sure that I'm completely fit to perform at my best and show my capacities as a player.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I would like to know if while you were practicing, just warming up, you didn't feel anything at all? Were you taken by surprise in the first game that you started to serve or not?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I practiced the last few days. I didn't spend a lot of time on the court. I had a little bit of trouble with my movement. It's mainly affected when I move. It's difficult to compete in the match without having to move. This is tennis. This is not darts.

For me, it's important to be fit and feel good with my back. The pain was very big. I've gone through pain during matches in the past, and I endured pain, but this was clearly too much to handle. I had to take the difficult decision to do what I did.

I felt it at the second game of the match. I actually felt it in the warm-up with my serve. Warming up on my serve, I felt very irritated and lots of pain hitting me on my back. I kind of knew at that time that I might not be able to go all the way.

Q. Stef, is this for sure you're out of the tournament for the rest of the tournament? Do you know specifically when you hurt it or what you may have done to aggravate the situation?

STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, look, the tour is very demanding. We get to play a lot of matches during the year at a very high level and intensity. There's not a single match during the season that is easy, considered easy. There are maybe very few occasions that I would storm through a match 2-3, 2-1. These matches don't quite happen that often on the tour.

I do believe it's because of the maybe lack of rest, lack of getting my body to rest sometimes and properly prepare for big events. I am hunting a lot. I'm trying to get as much as possible regarding points, regarding the rankings. I really push myself to the limits.

I do believe it's maybe a combination of lack of rest and not that good of a preparation. Overload, as well. Could be that, as well.

It's very unfortunate. I've had two editions here in Turin where I had to withdraw from the tournament. Never happened to me before that I had to withdraw. Very, very few occasions that I can recall on that matter.

It definitely hurts me a lot because this is the tournament that means the most to me, including the Grand Slams. I'm not able to compete the way I want to compete.

That's about it.