G. DIMITROV/S. Tsitsipas
6-3, 6-7, 7-6
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Stefanos, please.
Q. It was a match lost with a smallest margin. What made the decision in your mind?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Which decision?
Q. The outcome, the result. I mean, it was a very tight match.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, wrong choices in the tiebreak, for sure. I was serving so well at that point, and I decided to slow down my serve in the very beginning of the tiebreaker and come to the net, which was something I'm not used to do. It kind of felt right to do, but it's one of those things I kind of regret doing today.
It was definitely a point I could have won, including the next one. So two very lousy points which gave him, like, a massive lead there, and could have done better. I was not very prepared to just go for big shots. I slowed down. I tried to play a little bit conservative which didn't work.
There was definitely a little bit of luck involved, too.
Q. Considering what you just said, did you feel you were a bit tentative on some of those occasions?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, you could say so. It wasn't what was planned to happen, especially when I was playing so well. I felt like I could come up with more things on the court. He was defending really well. He was playing solidly and wasn't giving a lot of unforced errors.
At that point I felt like maybe I had a little bit more options. But sometimes keeping it simple, it can help, you know, these moments.
Q. It was very tight today, but the rest of the week you show very good tennis. Is it still a positive week for you?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yes, it is a positive week. I like the way I played this week.
I mean, the tiebreaker today had a moment where I felt like I was playing -- I mean, maybe I didn't have the best start in the third-set tiebreaker, but there was a moment where I felt like I deserved to win points and I still wasn't getting them, especially in the tiebreaker.
Like, I had a few, I don't know, the tiebreaker today was 7-3, I believe. Me, genuinely I believe could have gotten two or three more points today on that tiebreaker despite starting bad. I still lost 7-3.
There were two or three moments today in the tiebreaker where I was in attack. I had every reason to win the point. I approached the net. I got a low passing shot over me which landed on the line, and I defended. I mean, there wasn't much I could do there.
Then there was another one, inside-in approach, and he came up with an incredible passing shot down the line with a forehand.
These are the type of situations that you can't really control. You're trying to do your best. My ball landed not far from the line. It was a good approach shot. I still lost the point. In those situations you are more in favor to win the point. The percentages are higher on your side. But he came up with some amazing play.
And also, well, another one at the end with the backhand, when I approached with the backhand, felt pretty good for me; wasn't enough. But in any other situation I feel like it would have been different, but he did very well there.
So these are three examples today that maybe could have made the difference. Maybe wouldn't have been 6-3 and I would be facing a match point, maybe would have been 6-5 or 6-All and things are different there.
You know, I won't be blaming myself too much. I did well. My eyes are all to Turin, and I hope I can bring some of that game into the ATP Finals.
Q. Speaking of Turin, what will you do between now and when matches start over there? Will you go there straightaway? Will you go home for a few days? What will your preparation be?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: I'm planning to go midweek to Turin. I'm fortunate enough to be based in a good place in Europe which is called Monte-Carlo, and it's not too far from Turin. I will be preparing ideally there before the Finals. I will make sure to make my way to the beautiful Italian city on Wednesday, I believe, or Thursday. This is part of my plan.
I'm happy I qualified again. It's a great way to end the season, to be playing this tournament and to be aiming high. To have the privilege to be called one of the best tennis players of the year, in a way, and to be gathered there and to be all fighting for a trophy.
Q. I'd like to know, this generation, new generation, this mixed family where we have many Russian people, I'd like to know if the presence of Shapovalov, Zverev, and you here it's a result of mixed school, European school with Russian school, you know, Soviet Union, if you think maybe it can be part of success of this mix?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Perhaps the discipline that comes with it. Who am I to know what happened in Soviet Union, but I will tell you something, I feel like these people back then went through hardships and tough times, and I can see that from my mom. Life wasn't easy, and she had to fight for her stuff to get the stuff that she wanted.
I think that builds character. That builds you to the core, in a way. Strong and disciplined and willing to sacrifice and work hard for the things that you want to achieve in life.
So definitely, well, I know the guys a little bit, but I feel like they would have small piece of that in themselves to be the best version that they can be on the tennis court. These are some talented individuals that can play very good tennis. I feel like we have similar type of mentality, that we go on about our tennis.
These are all extremely focused and disciplined players that all of them have talent. All of them can play, hit the ball hard. They are tough. They are tough as nails.
I don't know. I'm not gonna judge myself, but it has been part of my upbringing when I was a little boy.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports