Rejuvenated Tsitsipas searching for consistency as he opens bid for fourth Monte-Carlo title
The Greek could become the only man other than Rafael Nadal to win the title four times
Chryslene Caillaud / Psnewz
Stefanos Tsitsipas is already in exalted company when it comes to Monte-Carlo Masters titles – his three victories puts him in joint-second in the all-time list. But should the Greek triumph again in the next week, he will be second only to Rafael Nadal.
Nadal’s 11 titles here seems unlikely to ever be beaten but Tsitsipas has played some of his best tennis here. Rejuvenated after winning in Dubai in February, he goes into the event with renewed confidence, even if he says he is still looking for consistency.
“My goal is to try and maximise on all the tournaments during the clay-court season,” he said. “I had a good start last year here and in Barcelona, but didn’t quite get to the point I wanted with the rest of the tournaments. I did try, and I did play well. There were a few things that I did wrong, and I guess I learned from them, but initially I just want to get back into it and try and create a more consistent basis of my results when it comes to clay courts and try and maximize in terms of points and performances.
“Quarters of Roland-Garros is definitely not a bad result, but it’s definitely not where I was used to being a few years back (he reached the final in 2021). And I feel like my game definitely has good potential to try and perform even better.”
Tsitsipas feeding off home comforts
Tsitsipas now lives in Monaco and being at home, with home-cooked food and his own bed, is an obvious advantage, even if he is not alone when it comes to living there. But returning to a place where he has enjoyed so much success is a nice feeling.
“It’s a good sensation,” he said. “I enjoy the fact that I also live here and I enjoy the fact that first tournament that I ever visited as a little child to come watch tennis. The classic Nadal-Federer finals that I got to experience in Monte Carlo were (some) of the most spectacular matches I have ever seen.
“So being in a position to be, well, a champion here is definitely something that makes me feel really good, and I want to try and add to those moments of legacy and try to build as much as I can in terms of my career and in terms of trying to win tournaments like this more often.”
Inspired by childhood memories of Nadal-Federer finals
Nadal and Federer met in three straight finals in Monte-Carlo from 2006 to 2008, with Nadal winning all three (though the 2006 one was a near-classic, Nadal winning in a fourth-set tiebreak). Tsitsipas was just seven years old for the first one but as he told a small group of reporters at the event on Saturday, the memories are still strong.
“The atmosphere was something I haven’t experienced in sports,” he said. “I know I could be biased, because I’m a tennis player and tennis fan, but I remember those finals very vividly. I was a fan back then, and obviously I enjoyed both of them battling it out without necessarily having a favourite, probably.
“I mean, I got fed up of Nadal at some moment because he was winning everything. But I like both game styles, and I found both game styles very interesting in how the they complemented each other’s game. I did support Federer…because I was someone that wanted to pursue a single handed backhand. He was definitely an example to look at. I really wanted to march (in) his footsteps.”
Tsitsipas has a bye in the first round and begins his campaign against either Australia’s Jordan Thompson or Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France.
