Stefanos Tsitsipas wants Novak Djokovic in the final in Melbourne today (9.30 a.m., live ticker at sportschau.de) for the tenth Australian-Open– Dispute titles. The Greek has honed his mental strength for this. The 24 year old says: “I don’t see any negative things anymore.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas came and just didn’t come. Some training kibitzers had gathered around court number seven on Saturday afternoon (01/28/2023) and waited anxiously. Training sessions at the Australian Open don’t stay secret for long – especially not when they are Grand-Slam– Concern finalists.
The 24-year-old Greek, however, changed his mind at short notice the day before his second major career final against Novak Djokovic and trained in the national training center in the hall just a few meters away from the facility on the other side of the street – closed to the public.
The challenger did the same as his opponent Djokovic. The Serb escaped the great attention that had not been of a purely sporting nature in the past few days.
Tsitsipas, on the other hand, has no non-sporting issues to work on at the moment and seems rare at the first high point of the year. “I don’t see any negative things anymore and I’m very optimistic. I enjoy my tennis. That was what was missing the whole time.”he explained on Friday in the media center’s cinema-like press conference room.
Only in the round of 16 against the highly talented South Tyrolean Jannik Sinner did Tsitsipas have to struggle the full distance, against Karen Chatschanow in the semifinals he survived the only phase of weakness in the tie-break of the third set.
Tsitsipas on Djokovic: “I have no idea how he did it”
2021 at the French Open he failed despite a 2-0 set lead to Djokovic, who was the physically stronger player despite an eleven-year age difference. Tsitsipas said in amazement at the time: “I have no idea how he did it.”
Djokovic’s longevity in professional tennis is tremendous. Exactly 15 years ago to the day, the Serb played his first semi-final in Melbourne. On Sunday he can grab title number ten in Melbourne and Grand Slam title number 22. He would draw level with Rafael Nadal in the eternal race for the record. The winner of the final will also be number one in the world rankings from Monday and replace Carlos Alcaraz, who was absent due to injury.
Kritik an Titsipas in Wimbledon
Tsitsipas was criticized after his third round last year at Wimbledon. Nick Kyrgios made it into the head of the Greek with repeated provocations, who then shot balls twice in the direction of the audience. A ball missed an old couple in the stands by a few centimetres. Tsitsipas escaped the disqualification. But four years after his breakthrough and title win at the ATP Finals In 2019, the allegations of a lack of consistency and a lack of mental strength became louder and louder.
After an injury-free preparation, four impressive wins at United Cup and the current run of success in Melbourne, the narrative has changed. “It all starts with self-confidence and believing more in your abilities again,” explained the Greek.
Tsitsipas’ impressive stats
This is represented by the tournament statistics on breakballs saved, which Tsitsipas leads among the players with at least two singles at this year’s Australian Open with 83 percent (44 of 53 breakballs). In the quarterfinals against Jiri Lehecka, for example, he fended off all eight break chances of the Czech with nerves of steel.
“I now have a good relationship with myself on the pitch. That’s what allowed me to have that kind of attitude in those moments. I’m a lot less frustrated now. I wasn’t productive from that. That’s what I’ve learned over the past year.”
The slightly different tennis pro
Tsitsipas was always considered the slightly different tennis professional. Nevertheless, highly talented and training hard, always intellectually and artistically interested and equipped with his own YouTube channel.
The home fans in Greece, who are skyrocketing the ratings these days, and the large Greek community around Melbourne have been getting a little impatient lately. But after three semi-finals in Melbourne, Tsitsipas has now impressively demonstrated a sporting and mental development.
Djokovic hard to beat in Melbourne
The final coronation would still be a surprise: Djokovic has on the quite fast hard court in the Root-Laver-Arena has not lost a final in nine participations. It is probably the second most difficult task in professional tennis. Only a final duel on clay in Paris against Rafael Nadal is more challenging.
Tsitsipas remains an outsider but said: “I have this confidence. I was number one in the juniors. Now I want to be number one in the men’s.”
