“Finally, isn’t tennis for you today just this kind of match, in a big stadium, with a great atmosphere, against a great player, in a big tournament?
“Of course what makes me happy is being able to play in tournaments like that, with such atmospheres. You put me in the same match behind closed doors like last year at the end of the tournament, it’s not the same thing at all and not the same match. Anyway for me. There are those who manage to do it, I know that I am not capable of it. I need to feel all the emotions, that I’m being pushed, to feel that when I’m doing a winning serve, people are behind it.
That’s what I like and that’s what I’ve always liked anyway, big atmospheres, big tournaments. Even more now, when we come out of a period with such sad tournaments. Tennis, that’s it. That’s why I love this sport, that’s why tennis is beautiful. I had a lot of fun today.
You don’t have a mood move the whole game, you are extremely calm, mentally focused. Here too, this attitude is quite new for you…
When I encourage myself or when I get angry, I feel that I really lose a lot of energy. When I lose the third set, I tell myself that the little energy I have, I really have to keep it as much as possible. I’m making the effort, I’m happy that people notice that mentally, I had a great game. I am the first to be proud of what I did today mentally.
I lose the third set, I don’t say a word, I go to sit down and I rebreak right away at the start of the fourth, then I get unbroken when I’m at 15-40 to lead 4-0! I feel like I’m having fun on the court today. I tell myself that even if I lose this match, I did the right thing, I had fun and that’s why I play tennis.
“I’m in the third round, I’m very happy, but I still want to go further”
Stefanos Tsitsipas in the next round, what inspires you?
I will already try to recover well. I did five sets in the first round, there four very tight sets. Physically, I have no pain, no glitches, it’s already very important. I’ll see how it goes. I will prepare well for this game. The last times I played it, it didn’t go very well, I missed it a bit.
Already, I’m going to enjoy, savor, sleep well, have a good day a little relaxation tomorrow (Friday) and get ready for a big fight. I’m in the third round, I’m very happy, but I still want to go further. You have to play a big match, you have no choice. But if you play a big match and there is a big atmosphere, it can become exceptional.
“I feel the ball well, I manage to be strong in the important moments”
Especially since the Australian Open is the only Major where you have never experienced the second week!
It’s true that I made the round of 16 at Wim, at the US Open, at Roland-Garros. I would like to be eighth in all the Grand Slams, and why not better. There, I have Tsitsipas. Today, I play every match being a little more relaxed than I was before. I don’t have much to lose and, in my head, I feel good. My tennis is pretty good at the moment, I feel the ball well, I manage to be strong in the important moments. For me, this game is only positive.
