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Stefanos Tsitsipas came very close to winning the 2021 French Open. He will have another chance to win his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday. Against Karen Khachanov on Friday, the Greek was very solid to win in four sets, 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3. Despite missing two match points in the third set tie-break, “Tsitsi” did not lose the thread and logically won by slamming 18 aces and 66 winners to his opponent. A high quality copy to play a second Grand Slam final and get closer to the Grail once again. A former world number one in junior tennis, he would become the king of the ATP on Sunday if he won the title. He will have to overcome the mountain, Novak Djokovic, who is seeking his 22nd Grand Slam title, his 10th in Melbourne, and who will also be number one if he wins.
The final promises to be intense, even electric. On Monday, after his demonstration against Alex De Minaur in the last 16 of the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic amused some and annoyed others in a press conference. Asked about being the last Grand Slam winner still alive in the quarter-finals of the tournament, Nole mentioned Stefanos Tsitsipas, forgetting one small detail. A certain final at Roland Garros in 2021 against the Greek… As a reminder, down 2 sets to 0, “Djoko” had made a trip to the toilet before making a comeback. “Tsitsipas, for example, probably the most experienced guy of them all, of all the quarterfinalists. He’s played the Grand Slam finals a number of times before. I don’t think he’s ever played a final, am I wrong?” he told reporters. “You beat him at Roland Garros. Paris, it was a good match, you came back,” a journalist retorted. Djokovic replied. “That’s right. That’s right. Sorry, it’s my fault,” he said with a smile. A curious scene. Tsitsipas’ response on Friday: “I don’t remember either.
He has been a brilliant player on the circuit for several seasons now, and has perhaps found the balance he was missing, a serenity that allows him to get out of many complex situations and above all to perform at the highest level. “I play good tennis, I enjoy myself. I don’t see any disadvantage or negativity in what I try to do on the court. Even if something doesn’t work out, I’m optimistic about the result and the opponent I have to face. That’s something that was missing from my game. It might not go my way, but I give 110%.”
A first-time finalist in Australia, Tsitsipas is in for a special moment on Sunday. In addition to winning his first Grand Slam title, he will have the opportunity to become the world’s No. 1 player. It’s hard to beat the stakes. “I remember watching it on TV and thinking I wanted to be there one day. I want to recreate that feeling. I knew it was a long journey and there are certain steps to take to give yourself a chance to compete for something like this, but I believed in it. First of all, it’s your ego talking. You either have it or you don’t. I was very confident as a child. I was good in my country. I proved I was good when I left Greece and competed in other countries. I finished number one in junior, now I want to succeed in men’s professional tennis.”
