Stefanos Tsitsipas after losing to Milos Raonic: "I felt stupid"
Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a surprising defeat against Milos Raonic on Friday. While the Greek felt helpless during his third round match at the Australian Open, he now seems to be better able to cope with defeats and setbacks than in the past.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Jan 25, 2020, 02:48 pm
If Tsitsipas had been a favorite for the Australian Open title before the tournament, the dream of winning the first major title on Friday was over after two and a half hours. With 5: 7, 4: 6 and 6: 7 (2), he left the tournament without a single break chance against Raonic.
"It's very difficult. He plays foreheads from all over the place and you don't really know where to stand," Tsitsipas said after the game. "The serve is of course one of the best at all. I felt a bit stupid when returning. My anticipation was not there, I always felt too slow. It was just a strange match."
Raonic served 19 aces, and hit a total of 55 winners. He has not posted a single set in his three previous matches. In the first direct duel with Tsitsipas on the ATP tour, he gave his opponent absolutely no chance.
Stefanos Tsitsipas: "I had two burnouts"
"You either have to wait for the tie-break or play a great return game, which wasn't the case today," said Tsitsipas. "Because I am tall, I wanted to do the same to him. But it quickly became clear to me that I am not like him. I should have designed the rallies from the baseline, but that was difficult for me. I put a few things in there my technique, but I struggled to keep my balance. "
Tsitsipas reached the semi-finals last year and beat Roger Federer on the way there. He still holds sixth place in the ATP ranking, unless Alexander Zverev wins the tournament.
"You can't do much against such players. He serves extremely precisely, that's a quality, not luck at all. But it quickly feels monotonous," complained Tsitsipas.
The disappointment about the comparatively early defeat was limited for the 21-year-old. "I've had a burnout twice in the last year. The experience helps me this season. I've learned to deal with defeats."
And further: "Last year my heart was broken after the semifinals. This time I will continue to work. And who knows, I will win next year."
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