“Found It Hard to Dictate”: Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Honest Admission After Tough Opening Round Victory at ATP Hamburg Open 2021

After terrific performances on the European clay-court season this 12 months, Stefanos Tsitsipas grew to become one of many prime contenders from the next-gen gamers to win a maiden French Open title.

Tsitsipas got here almost shut to creating that dream a actuality as he gained the primary two units towards Novak Djokovic within the finals at Roland Garros. Two hours later, the Serbian world quantity defeated Tsitsipas to clinch his nineteenth main title.

Watch this story: Heart-breaking Losses at Wimbledon Championships 2021: Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Nick Kyrgios, Venus Williams, Ons Jabeur, Andy Murray

All in all, Tsitsipas entered Wimbledon with a great deal of confidence as he hoped to vary his previous document at SW19. However, an unlucky first-round matchup towards Frances Tiafoe paved the way in which for the Greek to bow out of the Championships shortly.

Having shortly recovered from the Wimbledon debacle, Tsitsipas was again to aggressive tennis as he selected to play each singles and doubles occasions at ATP Hamburg Open.

The Tsitsipas brothers(Petros & Stefanos) misplaced their opening spherical matchup towards the German-Australian pair of Tim Putz and Michael Venus.

Stefanos Tsitsipas pushed previous Dominik Koepfer at ATP Hamburg Open

However, the younger Greek made a promising begin to his second-round singles matchup towards the native favourite Dominik Koepfer. Tsitsipas didn’t play the way in which he did at tournaments like Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, and so on.

It was a shaky begin from the Greek as he misplaced his opening service recreation within the first set. Regardless of not doing sufficient on the return of serve, the world quantity 4 managed to carry his serve all through the match(he solely misplaced one service recreation).

Koepfer, alternatively, confronted 14 break factors on serve and saved 11 of them. It’s this poo break-point conversion by Tsitsipas which stored the German within the match.

The primary set was determined by a tie-breaker, the place Dominik Koepfer saved a number of set factors however couldn’t maintain his serve in essential moments, and misplaced it will definitely.

Even the second set was carefully fought as Tsitsipas managed to interrupt the German’s serve within the seventh recreation to steer in the direction of victory. Ultimately, the French Open runner-up gained the competition, 7-6, 6-3.

“It was a tiny bit sluggish” – Tsitsipas on his opening-round efficiency at Hamburg

Speaking about his performance, the Greek star was happy with the way in which he fought in his first match after a tricky Wimbledon first spherical loss.

“It was a tiny bit sluggish . I’ll really feel higher over time. I feel my opponent was taking part in very effectively, preserving the consistency. I simply discovered it exhausting to dictate the sport and be on prime, and it took a while to get my recreation at my highest degree”, talked about Tsitsipas.

The following-gen star was grateful for the help given by followers within the stadium.

“I have earned my help, in a means, from my exhausting work and my dedication to the game, and it’s lovely factor to see. It actually means rather a lot, I like taking part in right here rather a lot”, concluded the Greek.

Stefanos Tsitsipas will meet Serbian tennis participant Filip Krajinovic within the quarter-finals at Hamburg on Friday.

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