“I’m very happy that I didn’t break down”, says Tsitsipas after loss to Nadal

“I’m very completely satisfied that I didn’t break down”, says Tsitsipas after loss to Nadal

Stefanos Tsitsipas ended his season with a hard-fought 6-4 4-6 6-2 loss to Rafael Nadal on the O2 Enviornment, because the Greek exited the ATP Finals.

After a disrupted yr as a result of coronavirus pandemic, Tsitsipas struck a philosophical tone in his post-match press convention. “There have been a couple of positives I can take from that,” Tsitsipas stated. “I’ll attempt to overlook the negatives, as a result of who wants negativity on this world? Simply wanting on the vivid aspect of it. Attempting to get to the tip of the tunnel and see one thing higher within the close to future.”

After a breakthrough win on the ATP Finals in 2019, Tsitsipas solely managed one title throughout 2020 – though the pandemic halted the Greek’s momentum firstly of the yr, after the world quantity six gained Marseilles and reached the Dubai ultimate. A Grand Slam-best run to the French Open semi-final in October was adopted by early losses in Vienna and Paris.

The Greek wanted to defeat Nadal to achieve the semi-finals of a match that he gained final yr, however admitted that he did not get the stability of attacking tennis required to beat the Spaniard.

“You possibly can’t play defensive with Rafa [but] I don’t even know what I used to be making an attempt to do, truthfully,” Tsitsipas stated. “Attempting to be method, method too aggressive. I used to be giving him free factors with out actually, you recognize, himself doing a lot or hurting me from the again.

“I ought to have dealt with it just a little bit extra intelligent and patiently, however it didn’t occur. My serve was not there after I wanted it, and these guys, you simply need to be there. I wasn’t absolutely current. I wasn’t enjoying within the second. Fairly dissatisfied with that. However that’s life.”

Though Tsitsipas’s yr ended with a loss, 2020 consolidated the Greek’s place on the prime of the boys’s sport. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old is hoping for a better 2021, claiming that, “I’m not an individual who sees the darkish aspect of issues. However this complete factor [thee pandemic] was very tough to deal with, to be trustworthy with you.”