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Australian Open: Has Stefanos Tsitsipas really progressed?

It’s a step forward.” With these simple words, Stefanos Tsitsipas gave a positive assessment of his very start to the 2023 season on Sunday. And for good reason, before Novak Djokovic put an end to his hopes of a double blow – first Grand Slam title and number 1 in the world – the Greek had won his first 10 matches of the season. A positive dynamic that can be seen beyond the figures on the court where the now world number 3 looked like a conqueror. Determination, forward play and a a certain panache thus characterized its fortnight.

On this side, the contrast with its second part of the 2022 season is clear. As a reminder, Tsitsipas remained on two results well below expectations linked to his Grand Slam status: firstly a defeat in the 3rd round at Wimbledon – even if the potential of his executioner Nick Kyrgios tends to put the poor performance into perspective – and especially a pitiful elimination in the first round of the US Open against the modest Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan (then 94th player in the world). In Melbourne, he therefore raised the bar dramatically.

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A spectacular mental reaction compared to 2022

What give him hope for the future. “I’m looking forward to getting more points this season, getting better results and fighting for important trophies. I really appreciate the way I play, my attitude on the court, my mental stability and my level of concentration.“, he added on Sunday. The Greek is not wrong: calmer, able to turn the page much more quickly from one point to another, he appeared again able to take up the psychological standoff at the highest level.

Djokovic too human, Tsitsipas not good enough? “Djoko always had the answer to everything”

Representative of the former “Next Gen”, Tsitsipas sent a clear message by resisting the rise of Jannik Sinner against whom he saved many break points. He is determined not to let himself be overwhelmed again by the generation that follows him, as was too often the case last year. From this point of view, his progress in a few weeks is obvious. But they do not say everything about its performance.

Certainly, Tsitsipas has replayed a Grand Slam final for the first time in almost two years, and it is not a question of taking it away from him. However, he hasn’t achieved a notable feat to achieve this, as was the case when he won two sets over Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals in 2021. The Greek only beat players he was supposed to beat, his main merit will have been to assume his status, which few of his colleagues in the Top 10 have been able to do, it must be recognized.

Not (yet?) stronger than in 2021

Another observation is clear: in Melbourne, he has never seen the title as clearly as at Roland-Garros almost two years ago. At the time, he only missed one set against the same opponent. Does this mean that the gap has even widened further with Novak Djokovic? In all honesty, taking on the Serb on clay in Paris isn’t the same challenge as in his backyard in Australia where he conquered a mind-boggling decima and still hasn’t lost in the final.

Tsitsipas couldn’t do anything in the final: Djokovic was still the strongest

The fact remains that Tsitsipas himself confessed to having “spanked” from which he said he wanted to learn the lessons. The observation is lucid, but one can also wonder if the hope is not a little vain. If we stick to the cruel statistics, the person concerned in is now 10 consecutive defeats against the Serbian ogre whom he has not beaten since a quarter-final in Shanghai in 2019. So he does not seem to have learned much.

Nothing allows us to say that the Tsitsipas version 2023 is better than that of 2021. But perhaps it is also because it is still in a transition phase. In recent months, he has challenged himself by trying to make his tennis more aggressive. He serves very well again, takes the ball earlier and thus concludes the points more often at the net. He also added a backhand slice to his range, which allows him to vary more in the exchange and to make himself more unpredictable.

New weapons to learn and tactical hesitation

But its success still varies according to the adversaries. Against Djokovic on Sunday, his forehand went off the rails and he never found the right balance in very hot moments, showing feverishness at the net. His sliced ​​backhand also appeared too floating against a Jiri Lehecka or a Karen Khachanov. Tsitsipas does not master his new weapons 100% and he owes this in part to certain tactical hesitations. He had himself admitted to having been too passive when concluding in the 3rd set of his semi-final. This was also the case on this famous ball of the 2nd round in the final when he had not been able to exploit a second ball at 128 km / h from Djokovic.

Golden chance, missed chance: The moment Tsitsipas almost took a set from Djokovic

Does he owe this reluctance to a certain confusion in the messages that reach him from the stands? Does he still listen primarily to his father Apostolos – always very agitated – or does he rely more on the more phlegmatic Mark Philippoussis? “His family is so invested in his career and his successes. They want so much for him, they want to help him but they only hurt him. And it jeopardizes his chances of playing good tennis“, estimated also during the last Masters Jim Courier, witness to the tensions between Tsitsipas and his clan.

The situation has since calmed down. And Tsitsipas is more serene, undeniably. To digest its recent progress definitively, however, it would be better not to stay in this in-between. Because if the Greek is as tactically fit as he was mentally during this Australian Open, then he could definitely resume his march forward. To heights he has yet to reach.

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