S. TSITSIPAS/J. Vesely
7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6
THE MODERATOR: Well done, Stef. Can you tell us how you turned around the tiebreak from 3-6 down.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Yeah, great comeback from me on that tiebreaker, I mean, things really well. Not in my favor. Didn't really play the way I wanted to play.
I think that kind of turned around on that particular point. I started just going more to the ball, being much more aggressive on my shot-making, and I kind of dictated a little bit better.
The match was very inconsistent from my side. I felt like I haven't played a match with so much inconsistency in a very long time. There weren't a lot of rallies in play. He was serving big, so I had to find ways to change that. At times I felt like my footwork was lousy. I think it's also due to the fact that, as I said, there were not many rallies played which didn't allow my legs to be activated. Might be because of that.
But otherwise I'm happy with how things turned around, and my fighting spirit kind of went on full display in those last few points of the tiebreaker. It was a great way to end it by just being patient and waiting for that chance to pop up.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.
Q. When you are facing those points and looking at a big chance of going to a fifth set, in the quiet moment before the next point starts, what's going through your head in terms of setting yourself for what needs to be done?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: In which particular point?
Q. I guess, was it 6-3?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: That point, you mean?
Q. Yeah, when he had the series of set points in the fourth set.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, I mean, your mind is going to create all these bad scenarios that, okay, now we're going to start playing a fifth set if I don't deliver here. But that was not the case when I was being in that situation.
I know it might sound unusual for someone to say that, but I said, Okay, let me try something new. Let me just try and go to the ball a little bit more, add a little bit more depth to my shot and a better way to kind of view the court, as well, by doing that, coming in.
It kind of worked in those three points. I started serving and I started thinking, okay, I might come to the net after the serve or I might approach after the first return. Automatically everything started shifting more towards forward instead of let's play the rally or let me wait for the shot to come to me.
Psychologically, that was like kind of, it created a spark. I don't know. I still don't know and I don't know, I will never know whether that was because of that that I was able to come back. But if I was to guess, I would say much better than just what I was trying to do before that. It worked.
Just like I felt like he started feeling the pressure a little bit more. His serves were not as accurate towards the end, which of course I'm happy with because it gave me the chance to start a few rallies and finally play more than three or four shots. That was it.
Q. You've played Sunday obviously and now you're not going to play again until Wednesday, I think I'm right in saying. Given what you said about your performance and maybe you felt you weren't quite in rhythm today, are you glad to have two days to try and find that rhythm or would you almost rather be playing again tomorrow and try to get into that?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Absolutely, yes. It gives me a chance to go practice a bit more. Today I got to feel the court a little bit by staying in it for a few hours. I hope that helps, too.
Yeah, red wine and baguettes (smiling).
Q. Well done. This is not going to be a tennis question, but it relates to things which are important in tennis. With all due respect, when they say when women change their hairstyle, they change their life. And we see certain changes in your image as, for example, opposed to previous Grand Slams. What made this apply in terms of change in your attitude towards tennis?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: What are these changes? I'm just curious to know more.
Q. Your look.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: The look?
Q. Beard is gone.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Oh, I see.
I'll keep it simple, and I had this discussion with someone recently. I did say, I had a practice session with Carlitos the other day and did throw in a "thank you" just randomly, and I don't know if he understood that or not. I owe a lot to Carlitos, because he's such a breath of fresh air, the fact that he's on the tour.
I had this discussion the other day with someone, and I said, the fact that just he's so competitive and he's always with a smile on his face, and almost so much charisma to him and so much positive energy that he distributes. I think that's contributed a lot to his growth as a tennis player and his consistency too. He seems to be enjoying having fun.
Last year during preseason I was, like, I want to apply that more into my game. Players focus more maybe on technical stuff and stuff that don't kind of -- that don't focus on these aspects of the game.
I kind of admire him for who he is. I just want to be more -- I have that capacity of being that person. I truly believe that. That is also the reason that I'm just much more joyful and happy when playing this sport, due to him. So...
Q. I just wanted to ask about your rivalry with Daniil Medvedev, one of the most interesting rivalries on the tour. What have you made of his improvements on the clay and how did you feel when he got that win over you in Rome? Kind of clay is your territory. Also, what was your reaction to his dance at the end?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Well, if it's meant to be this way, I guess there is a dance after every one of them, I guess.
No, it was fun. I wasn't mad or upset or anything regarding that. I did the same a few months ago, so...
It was not kind of -- in a way, there are certain expectations when you step out on the court, and with him there was this expectation that this is a big chance for me to make it to the finals. You know, I have a lot of good matches won on that surface under my belt, and I proved to myself over the last few years that I can create good results on this particular surface.
So going into that match, I knew kind of that I was dealing with a different player because he seemed to be playing well against some good opponents just before we faced each other.
So in a way I was expecting something better. I wasn't expecting that much better of what he played in the semifinals. But that for sure pushes me to be much more focused and determined, and kind of, not down-to-earth, I wouldn't say, because, you know, he kind of caught me off guard, the consistency and the power that he was able to put out there.
But for sure he gave me a fresh idea of who he now is on this surface.
Q. A few days ago I was speaking to the actor Margot Robby, who I know you are a big fan of.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: You were what?
Q. I was speaking with the actor Margot Robby.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: No, you were not.
Q. No, I wasn't. I just wanted to get your attention. But I saw your eyes light up. One of the films she appears in is called "Dreamland." What do you need to do here at Roland Garros this year to make your dreams become a reality?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Is this a new movie?
Q. 2018.
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Oh, I need to watch it.
Q. Yeah, you do. But what do you need to do here at Roland Garros this year to make your dreams a reality?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS: Watch Margot Robby movies the day before the matches, I guess. That would help, for sure (smiling).
What could I do? As I said, plenty of red wine and baguettes would help do well in Paris. Let's just put that as an answer.
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