Stefanos Tsitsipas: "No reason to lower my expectations"
As in Paris 2021, Stefanos Tsitsipas had to admit defeat to Novak Djokovic in the second Grand Slam final of his career. After the three-set defeat, the Greek had nothing but respect for the Serb.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Jan 30, 2023, 06:43 pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas failed again one step before the goal. And again it was Novak Djokovic who was supposed to oppose the Greek in the last few meters - and was able to dissuade the third in the world rankings from achieving his big goal. Both the first title win at major level and the number one position in the world rankings, they still have to wait.
"It was difficult for me to hold my serve at the start," said Tsitsipas after his final defeat against the Serbs. "I wasn't nervous, I was excited to have had the chance to fight for world number one." He was really looking forward to the match and wanted to give himself a chance to steer the duel in a good direction for himself. The Greek had this in particular in round two - which Djokovic ultimately won in the tie-break.
Tsitsipas sees step forward
"There are factors that I can improve, but there's no reason to let this defeat put me off. It's a step forward," explained the Greek. "I enjoyed the way I played, my level of concentration." Of course, there are still some things he could add to his game. In this final, however, according to Tsitsipas , he went to his performance limits.
"There is nothing I could have done better, I did my best. Novak is a player who pushes you to your limits. I don't find that annoying," said the Greek. "It's a good thing for the sport to have such competitors and champions. We want to get to where he is one day. He made me a better player."
Respect for "Big Three"
In general, he, Tsitsipas, has nothing but respect for the Serb's achievements - the man who is the "greatest" who has ever held a racket in his hands, as the Greek explained. "The numbers speak for themselves. There are 22 (note: Grand Slam titles). We have other great champions like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. We're lucky to have them," said Tsitsipas. In total, the "Big Three" have already won 64 major titles.
For Tsitsipas, the second defeat in a major final is by no means a reason to stick your head in the sand. "I want to reach the highest point. Number one is my goal. It's not easy, I know. I have to work harder to do it," explained Tsitsipas. "I see no reason to lower my expectations or my goals. I've been a champion since I was born. It's in my blood."
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