Erste Bank Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas - He just wants to play
Stefanos Tsitsipas is the favorite for the Erste Bank Open 2021. With the "Red Bull BassLine" event on Friday evening, which he inspired, the Greek wanted one thing above all: have fun. Today Tsitsipas meets Grigor Dimitrov in the Wiener Stadthalle (from approx. 3:30 p.m. live on ServusTV and in our match tracker).
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Oct 26, 2021, 09:15 am
In terms of appearance, Stefanos Tsitsipas is almost clichéd as a revolutionary or redeemer, the latter sometimes brings with it the former. Anyone who thought that the short “Red Bull BassLine” tournament on Friday evening on the #glaubandich Court was an announcement to the tennis establishment, however, had to disappoint the Greek at his press conference before the start of the Erste Bank Open 2021. Ultimately, the event was just about having fun.
Stefanos Tsitsipas seems to have lost this a little in the past few months. At least on the court. Whatever the reason for his work ethic - the man from Athens does not know half throttle. And then Tsitsipas also drew the displeasure of many fans and experts - by taking longer toilet breaks at tactically favorable times. However, if he wanted to use the absenteeism as a tactical stylistic device, so Tsitsipas, then he would have done so much earlier in his career. The good news: Vienna's number one didn't take a single break in Indian Wells. And about his trip to the locker room in Toronto, when he won the first set against Casper Ruud after a little more than 20 minutes, Tsitsipas was now able to smile a little.
Tsitsipas and Lopez continue in doubles
The 2021 season was probably the best in Stefanos Tsitsipas' career so far. Even if the victory at the ATP Finals 2019 was the highest with 1,500 points. But: In Monte Carlo Tsitsipas won an event of the Masters 1000 series for the first time, in Roland Garros he led against Novak Djokovic in the final with 2-0 sets. And, as is well known, lost the game anyway. On the one hand, this was due to the outstanding comeback qualities of the industry leader. But also the fact that Stefanos Tsitsipas sometimes lacked the killer instinct this year.
He'll need it right from the start in Vienna. Because with Grigor Dimitrov there is a man who surprisingly got further in Indian Wells than Tsitsipas. Dimitrov lost in the semifinals against eventual champion Cameron Norrie, Tsitsipas against Nikoloz Basilashvili before that. He ticked off this defeat, said Tsitsipas in Vienna. The one against Carlos Alcaraz from the short tournament on Friday is of no consequence anyway.
The fact that even with the perfectionist Stefanos Tsitsipas there is still room for improvisation is proven by the selection of his double partner: he trained together with Feliciano Lopez at the Laver Cup. And so this pairing came about. On Monday it was enough to win the first time: Lopez / Tsitsipas beat Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 10: 8 in the match tie-break, causing the hall at Heumarkt to shake. This time without any music in the background.
Here the single tableau in Vienna
wienmap