Stefanos Tsitsipas has dismissed suggestions that he is struggling with a physical issue at the ATP Finals but admits that he needs to ‘play better tennis‘ if he wishes to claim the title.
The Greek world No.6 was beaten in straight sets by Jannik Sinner in his opening match on Sunday. Tsitsipas was unable to get a single break point opportunity in his favor and produced a total of 17 unforced errors. It is the second time in a row that he has lost to Sinner after the Rotterdam Open earlier this year.
In recent days, there have been rumors circulating that Tsitsipas has been troubled by an issue with either his elbow or back after opting to end his practice session in Turin early. When asked in his press conference if he has undergone a scan on his lower back, the former Grand Slam finalist insisted that he is in good health.
“I’m absolutely fine and I’m ready to play this tournament. Turin is one of the most important events of the year for me,” he replied.
“I’m healthy. I’m ready to compete.”
Tsitsipas, who recently said that he sees the ATP Finals as a more prestigious event than the majors, is seeking to win the end-of-year title for a second time after 2019. Although he has a tough task with his upcoming opponents being reigning champion Novak Djokovic and Holger Rune. He has a 0-2 head-to-head record against Rune but they are yet to play against each other this year.
“I have two more matches to go. I hope for the best. I hope I can stay here until the last day,” he stated.
“That’s the beauty of ATP Nitto Finals: it’s not over until it’s really over. You can always re-bounce and you can always come back. It’s a good format.’ “It allows for great competition and for some good comebacks that we don’t really see in the sport because our tour is based on knockout rounds, a single opportunity in every tournament.”
As for how he plans to turn his fortunes around, the 25-year-old admits the key might be taking more risks in matches. This year is his fifth appearance at the event but the only time he managed to progress beyond the round-robin stage was four years ago on his debut.
“In the past, I’ve tried to stay behind the baseline and rally, not punish my opponents when they throw in a shorter one,” Tsitsipas explained.
“I see this tournament for me also an opportunity for me to grow my game through maybe bigger risks. Why not? It’s a great tournament and I really want to do well here.’
“At the same time, I want to try things in which I believe I can achieve a higher level of excellence when I approach my game with that mindset.”
Tsitsipas is one of four former champions competing at this year’s ATP Finals along with Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev.
