Tsitsipas on his loss to Djokovic at French open 2021

[Djokodal Fan]

Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up on his French Open 2021 final loss to Novak Djokovic.
During their conversation, the German professional Petkovic asked Tsitsipas about his loss in Paris, and the 22-year-old Greek professional named physical incompetency as the differentiator between him and Djokovic.
“I think, talking about that match, there were a lot of physical elements that I was weaker at than my opponent Novak. And I think it was the main reason why I wasn’t able to withstand that match,” Tsitsipas said. “And play at the level I was playing.”

Furthermore, the current Monte-Carlo champion stated that he would find a solution to win his first Grand Slam. He then spoke about what he did not show the camera after his French Open final loss.
“I was really close, for sure I was, and it was frustrating and sad at the end, although I didn’t really show it. At the locker room, it was a difficult moment to reflect. It was not easy, especially when you are that close,” Tsitsipas concluded.

Is the 22 year old saying he couldn't match the physical capability against a 34 old? Very surprising indeed.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

Oh please Tsitsy everyone already moved on already.

 

[Jonesy]

Just goes to show that Novak is insane.

 

[BeatlesFan]

I thought he lost because his granny died right before the final? So many excuses.

 

[Third Serve]

Yeah that was obvious enough. He was definitely struggling on his movement to the right later in the match. Those forehands that were overwhelming Novak in the first two sets started looking a lot sloppier once he lost that movement. Probably shouldn’t have let the Zverev match go five sets, but it’s clear that this is a much bigger issue than simply prolonging matches.

 

[vex]

Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up on his French Open 2021 final loss to Novak Djokovic.
During their conversation, the German professional Petkovic asked Tsitsipas about his loss in Paris, and the 22-year-old Greek professional named physical incompetency as the differentiator between him and Djokovic.
“I think, talking about that match, there were a lot of physical elements that I was weaker at than my opponent Novak. And I think it was the main reason why I wasn’t able to withstand that match,” Tsitsipas said. “And play at the level I was playing.”

Furthermore, the current Monte-Carlo champion stated that he would find a solution to win his first Grand Slam. He then spoke about what he did not show the camera after his French Open final loss.
“I was really close, for sure I was, and it was frustrating and sad at the end, although I didn’t really show it. At the locker room, it was a difficult moment to reflect. It was not easy, especially when you are that close,” Tsitsipas concluded.

Is the 22 year old saying he couldn't match the physical capability against a 34 old? Very surprising indeed.

Not surprising at all. It’s quite common for endurance athletes to peak at/after 30.

 

[Jonas78]

The solution is to wait until Big3 is retired, then Tsits might win RG.

 

[cortado]

Maybe he means physical reliability of shots, muscle memory etc, not just stamina.

 

[Deleted member 748597]

 

[N01E]

What does he mean by "it was frustrating and sad at the end, although I didn’t really show it"? I don't remember the last time I saw slam runner-up this pissed during the trophy ceremony.

 

[Ivan Lendl]

He learned the important lesson that winning 3 sets is an important concept of BO5 format.

 

[helterskelter]

Not surprising at all. It’s quite common for endurance athletes to peak at/after 30.

Precisely. Djokovic had a clear age advantage over Tsitsipas in terms of stamina in that match. Sure, Tsitsipas had an age advantage in terms of reaction time, and twitch muscles, but not all skills peak at the same age.

 

[helterskelter]

The solution is to wait until Big3 is retired, then Tsits might win RG.

I think Federer is no threat to him at RG anymore.

 

[OhYes]

There is truth in his claim.
If you look at both player's physicality, you must notice that Tsitsi still looks physically like a kid, muscles are not quite there. And Novak... well we know what Novak does for his physicality - he is Spartan about it.

 

[Omega_7000]

I thought he lost because his granny died right before the final? So many excuses.

Is admitting that he isn't as physically fit as a 34 year old an excuse or an admission? At least he recognizes this and is honest about it

 

[Jonas78]

A few more losses and he will take a Berdych-like position; be a nice guy, find a hot girlfriend, and just take the losses vs Big3 with a big smile, and brag about how lucky you are just to get to play them.

 

[Omega_7000]

A few more losses and he will take a Berdych-like position; be a nice guy, find a hot girlfriend, and just take the losses vs Big3 with a big smile, and brag about how lucky you are just to get to play them.

Berrettini beat him to it

 

[MeatTornado]

Not surprising at all. It’s quite common for endurance athletes to peak at/after 30.

Just because he's stronger than everyone else doesn't mean his endurance is peaking right now.

Do you honestly see him being able to pull off that 2012 Australian Open SF/F 11 hour double today at 34?

 

[Kralingen]

A few more losses and he will take a Berdych-like position; be a nice guy, find a hot girlfriend, and just take the losses vs Big3 with a big smile, and brag about how lucky you are just to get to play them.

Lol, I think he is just young enough that the field will be wide open for slams by the time he’s peaking. He seems to believe he can be an ATG still if you listen to his other interviews, it’s quite bizarre the ego that the guy manages to have. He sounds genuinely confused after losses as if he never considered the possibility.

 

[NoleIsBoat]

Just because he's stronger than everyone else doesn't mean his endurance is peaking right now.

Do you honestly see him being able to pull off that 2012 Australian Open SF/F 11 hour double today at 34?

Yes. Djokovic went through wars i QF/SF/F this RG.

 

[Pandaman]

Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up on his French Open 2021 final loss to Novak Djokovic.
During their conversation, the German professional Petkovic asked Tsitsipas about his loss in Paris, and the 22-year-old Greek professional named physical incompetency as the differentiator between him and Djokovic.
“I think, talking about that match, there were a lot of physical elements that I was weaker at than my opponent Novak. And I think it was the main reason why I wasn’t able to withstand that match,” Tsitsipas said. “And play at the level I was playing.”

Furthermore, the current Monte-Carlo champion stated that he would find a solution to win his first Grand Slam. He then spoke about what he did not show the camera after his French Open final loss.
“I was really close, for sure I was, and it was frustrating and sad at the end, although I didn’t really show it. At the locker room, it was a difficult moment to reflect. It was not easy, especially when you are that close,” Tsitsipas concluded.

Is the 22 year old saying he couldn't match the physical capability against a 34 old? Very surprising indeed.

It was a lot more than physical. Novak was off and still serving for the first set. Sissy's level was as high as he could play and was still down. Then Novak took a nap in set 2. Then he started playing like normal, and as many of you remember, Sissy's level was the same in the third. Novak was just too good. Match should've been 3 set, 4 max.

What's even funnier is Novak spent almost 4 hours more on court and had less rest until the final. All of this sums to Sissy being a long way away from Novak, despite the scoreline.

 

[Omega_7000]

Just because he's stronger than everyone else doesn't mean his endurance is peaking right now.

Do you honestly see him being able to pull off that 2012 Australian Open SF/F 11 hour double today at 34?

Yes.

 

[Oval_Solid]

he thought novak would give up and hand him the title after 2 sets down

 

[bjsnider]

Sorry, and all due respect to Stefano, but I don't buy it. This was a mental collapse, which is a far worse thing to admit. Djokovic is no longer the equal physically to any of the nextgen guys.

 

[Goof]

Berrettini beat him to it

Minus the "hot girlfriend" part?

 

[Harry_Wild]

Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up on his French Open 2021 final loss to Novak Djokovic.
During their conversation, the German professional Petkovic asked Tsitsipas about his loss in Paris, and the 22-year-old Greek professional named physical incompetency as the differentiator between him and Djokovic.
“I think, talking about that match, there were a lot of physical elements that I was weaker at than my opponent Novak. And I think it was the main reason why I wasn’t able to withstand that match,” Tsitsipas said. “And play at the level I was playing.”

Furthermore, the current Monte-Carlo champion stated that he would find a solution to win his first Grand Slam. He then spoke about what he did not show the camera after his French Open final loss.
“I was really close, for sure I was, and it was frustrating and sad at the end, although I didn’t really show it. At the locker room, it was a difficult moment to reflect. It was not easy, especially when you are that close,” Tsitsipas concluded.

Is the 22 year old saying he couldn't match the physical capability against a 34 old? Very surprising indeed.

I do everything pretty well so I am a well
balance player. People say I have no weaknesses!
You can try to find one during a match but I will
usually hit it back to your weak side to draw an
error or have you hit it back short or a floater. I am still
quite fit so that not going be a problem since I go deep
in the draw usually to win the finals in almost all tournaments
that I enter.

 

[MichaelNadal]

 

[Rudiiii]

Lol, I think he is just young enough that the field will be wide open for slams by the time he’s peaking. He seems to believe he can be an ATG still if you listen to his other interviews, it’s quite bizarre the ego that the guy manages to have. He sounds genuinely confused after losses as if he never considered the possibility.

I dont like his guts tiny bit, full of himself, without any achievement, Med and Denis are much more humble

 

[Lgoel]

The problem is not only Djokovic. Tsitsipas let zverev also take it to 5 sets in semi final after being 2 setup. So ultimately , he simply doesn't know how to close 5 setter match in 3 sets. His level drops after 2.

 

[Azure]

Stef should have really closed the Zverev match in three. If he is still ruing his final match, clearly he hasn't gotten over it. I wasn't hopeful on grass anyway but on hards, he should start making serious inroads now. He can begin by showing a better return game than even in the RG imo.

 

[platypus50]

Bad luck Tsitsipas, he had an off-colour Djokovic for an opponent in the first 2 sets of the RG final yet still couldn't close it out, you really aren't going to get a much better opportunity than that.

Maybe if he had closed out the SF against Zverev in 3 or 4 sets instead of letting it drag onto a 5th set. I'm not a fan of Tsitsipas, much like Zverev, both have too much ego for my liking.

I enjoyed watching the last 3 sets of the RG final where Djokovic showed him how to win a slam (despite being down 2 sets to 0) by making tactical adjustments on his service games where Tsitsipas didn't even get a break point.

 

[Aabye5]

I think he was saying he didn't recover well from his 5-set. You see this with quite a few young players.

Nole had a tough match, too, but I think he knows what he has to do to recover.

 

[DRII]

There is truth in his claim.
If you look at both player's physicality, you must notice that Tsitsi still looks physically like a kid, muscles are not quite there. And Novak... well we know what Novak does for his physicality - he is Spartan about it.

 

[DRII]

It was a lot more than physical. Novak was off and still serving for the first set. Sissy's level was as high as he could play and was still down. Then Novak took a nap in set 2. Then he started playing like normal, and as many of you remember, Sissy's level was the same in the third. Novak was just too good. Match should've been 3 set, 4 max.

What's even funnier is Novak spent almost 4 hours more on court and had less rest until the final. All of this sums to Sissy being a long way away from Novak, despite the scoreline.

LOL!

Someone didn't watch the match.

 

[DRII]

Minus the "hot girlfriend" part?

LOL, you sure?

She seems to land all the in demand bad boys. She's got something!

 

[DRII]

I dont like his guts tiny bit, full of himself, without any achievement, Med and Denis are much more humble

LOL!

East vs West

 

[DRII]

Bad luck Tsitsipas, he had an off-colour Djokovic for an opponent in the first 2 sets of the RG final yet still couldn't close it out, you really aren't going to get a much better opportunity than that.

Maybe if he had closed out the SF against Zverev in 3 or 4 sets instead of letting it drag onto a 5th set. I'm not a fan of Tsitsipas, much like Zverev, both have too much ego for my liking.

I enjoyed watching the last 3 sets of the RG final where Djokovic showed him how to win a slam (despite being down 2 sets to 0) by making tactical adjustments on his service games where Tsitsipas didn't even get a break point.

Oh yea, Djokovic has no ego at all

 

[Mediterranean Might]

This guy can't win here it seems

Upset about the loss? "Move on already"
Grandma died? "Excuses"
Acknowledging his weaknesses and areas for improvement? "Lmao learn to win 3 sets mug"

Here's what I think: this guy is 22 and is on track to become the world number 3. That's pretty amazing if you ask me. He's having the season of his life and he was the first male player from his country in a slam final. He has a very exciting game, lots of potential, and the right mindset and willingness to improve. The first slam final is a fantastic experience for him. He will almost certainly have a great career

 

[vex]

Just because he's stronger than everyone else doesn't mean his endurance is peaking right now.

Do you honestly see him being able to pull off that 2012 Australian Open SF/F 11 hour double today at 34?

No not at all, I don’t think his endurance is close to peak. I just think it’s still way better than any of these 22 year old kids who haven’t figured out how the Big 4 train yet. They literally could watch Murray’s resurfacing documentary and get a glimpse of what an insane, obsessive level of dedication it takes to match the big 4 physically

 

[airchallenge2]

This guy can't win here it seems

Upset about the loss? "Move on already"
Grandma died? "Excuses"
Acknowledging his weaknesses and areas for improvement? "Lmao learn to win 3 sets mug"

Here's what I think: this guy is 22 and is on track to become the world number 3. That's pretty amazing if you ask me. He's having the season of his life and he was the first male player from his country in a slam final. He has a very exciting game, lots of potential, and the right mindset and willingness to improve. The first slam final is a fantastic experience for him. He will almost certainly have a great career

Nah, the reason I don't like him is cause he's delusional. He was close to winning the RG? Really? Roger was close in W'19 not Tsitsi. He needs a hard look in the mirror and take it more like Danil or Mateo take it.

 

[DRII]

Nah, the reason I don't like him is cause he's delusional. He was close to winning the RG? Really? Roger was close in W'19 not Tsitsi. He needs a hard look in the mirror and take it more like Danil or Mateo take it.

He will win a slam before either of those two.

He'll definitely win multiple slams before either of them!

 

[DRII]

its the clown that posted 5 consecutive worthless comments to compensate for his bird brain

Ouch, burn... Sure thing, rookie.

 

[Mediterranean Might]

Nah, the reason I don't like him is cause he's delusional. He was close to winning the RG? Really? Roger was close in W'19 not Tsitsi. He needs a hard look in the mirror and take it more like Danil or Mateo take it.

Winning 2 sets is delusional now OK got it

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Stef should have really closed the Zverev match in three. If he is still ruing his final match, clearly he hasn't gotten over it. I wasn't hopeful on grass anyway but on hards, he should start making serious inroads now. He can begin by showing a better return game than even in the RG imo.

Hello Azure!! How're you doing??

And no, Tsitsipas wouldn't show return more potent on HC, because even on clay, despite there being more time to return a serve, he could not generate a break point for 3 sets in a row, it'll only get difficult on HC unless he improves his return technique drastically & increases swing weight.

 

[mike danny]

Not surprising at all. It’s quite common for endurance athletes to peak at/after 30.

LOL.

 

[tex123]

Stefanos Tsitsipas opens up on his French Open 2021 final loss to Novak Djokovic.


Is the 22 year old saying he couldn't match the physical capability against a 34 old? Very surprising indeed.

How is that surprising? Djokovic is the fittest well oiled machine on tour with the best team. Youngsters in general don't have that kind of dedication to work on fitness.

You may ask - why was that not the case before big 3? The answer is - that was true before big 3 too. The courts were faster. No one had to work on fitness like this in the past. A 19 year old Boris wasn't ripped. The faster courts helped him win at a young age.
When Murray wasn't winning any slams he said the same and worked heavily on his fitness.

 

[Krish0608]

Lol, I think he is just young enough that the field will be wide open for slams by the time he’s peaking. He seems to believe he can be an ATG still if you listen to his other interviews, it’s quite bizarre the ego that the guy manages to have. He sounds genuinely confused after losses as if he never considered the possibility.

It’s not bizarre. You need to have that level of belief to get to the top and win slams. That’s why I believe he’s the only next Gen who has the attitude to succeed. The others are just happy to lose to the Big 3.
But attitude alone is not enough, I want to see improvements in mentality and “physicality” as he puts it. You cannot be gassed after playing 2 sets as a 22 year old in a GS final.

 

[Krish0608]

Nah, the reason I don't like him is cause he's delusional. He was close to winning the RG? Really? Roger was close in W'19 not Tsitsi. He needs a hard look in the mirror and take it more like Danil or Mateo take it.

Ya exactly. He should just bend over to the Big 3 and be “humble” and happy about having the honor of losing to the Big 3. That’s the right attitude of beating the Big 3. Nailed it.

 

[Gazelle]

Everyone is physically inferior to Lance.

 

[Stratotanker]

Not surprising at all. It’s quite common for endurance athletes to peak at/after 30.

Agreed. The advantage here is actually to the experienced athlete, to a point at least. Citybus needs more time to build that bulletproof physicality. He for sure ran out of gas and lost that CC forehand zip.