Usually, when a player comes through a thrilling match they are beaming with delight but Stefanos Tsitsipas doesn’t feel that way.
Resuming his match against Dominic Thiem that began on Monday before it was delayed due to rain, the Greek battled to an epic 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-7, 7-6, triumph. The gut-busting encounter lasted almost four hours overall with 331 shots being played. Both players were cheered on by a packed crowd on Court Two in what was an eclectic atmosphere.
It was arguably one of the most entertaining matches to take place so far in this year’s tournament. Yet Tsitsipas later said after his clash that he was left feeling ‘empty’ before suggesting he would have felt more fulfilled if he achieved that victory on the clay.
“I don’t think I felt this empty after a win in a very long time,” he said during his press conference.
“I’m happy that I overcame that obstacle and that I won. But there’s just something about winning a big match on clay when you have to move for hours, you feel sore, you’re tired, your legs hurt, and you have to slide around the court. It’s a different feeling.”
“I feel tired, but it’s a different kind of tiredness. It didn’t feel as gritty as it would have been on clay. And a much cleaner win in general, even though it was a five-setter.”
It is a somewhat perplexed response from the world No.5 considering he had just won his opening match at a Grand Slam. He has only reached the fourth round of Wimbledon once before which was back in 2018. Furthermore, three out of his past five appearances in the tournament have seen him lose in the first round.
The question remains of how to interpret Tsitsipas’ claim of feeling empty. It is a hard thing to do when the player himself was unsure when asked if he meant it positively or negatively.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m playing well, I’m returning well, and I’m still not able to convert break points and win return games of mine. It kind of feels like, “What is going on?” He explains.
“I feel great. My returns are deep. I’m able to play smartly, but still, I end up being on a tiebreaker when, in fact, I should be winning the set at least with a break up. That sort of emptiness I am feeling, I guess.”
Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, he has little time for reflection with a showdown with Andy Murray awaiting him tomorrow. Murray managed to finish his match on Monday as he played on one of the two covered courts.
On paper, Tsitsipas is the favorite to win but he doesn’t view it that way.
“He is a strong opponent, he has played on this court so many times,” Tsitsipas commented. “Grass suits his game very well. He has shown it with titles, two titles here, at Wimbledon. He has also won Queen’s in the past. He’s a strong opponent on grass.”
Tsitsipas is only the second Greek man in the Open Era to have recorded 11 main draw wins at Wimbledon. The first to do so was Nicholas Kalogeropoulos.
