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It has been a tough few weeks for Stefanos Tsitsipas. Whereas the 22-year-old has been one of many brightest younger gamers within the recreation, and appears to be a surefire future Grand Slam winner, he’s been trending within the incorrect path since his heartbreaking loss on the French Open.
We realized simply after that match that he misplaced his Grandmother solely “5 minutes earlier than coming into the courtroom”. We don’t know precisely when he realized of the information, or if he knew previous to his battle towards one of many biggest gamers of all time in Novak Djokovic.
Regardless of taking a two set result in begin the French Open Remaining, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2, he dropped the following three units and suffered a loss in his first main last look. It was clear he simply misplaced his recreation, and was by no means capable of get well.
His subsequent match was the Wimbledon Championships, which went about as poorly as one may count on after such heartbreak on the French Open, each professionally and personally. He was up towards American Frances Tiafoe, ranked 52nd on the planet, within the first spherical. He misplaced the match 4-6, 4-6, 3-6. It was clear his thoughts was not but able to be again and totally targeted on tennis. After Wimbledon, he took some a lot wanted break day, to not solely recuperate, however to mourn the lack of his Grandmother, who meant a lot to him.
It was not till virtually a month later that he performed his subsequent match on the Hamburg European Open, the place he was the highest seed. Whereas he received his first match again 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, he shortly exited the match within the following spherical towards Filip Krajinović, the thirty fourth ranked participant on the planet, 6-3, 1-6, 3-6.
Shortly after the Hamburg European Open, issues solely received extra attention-grabbing after Tsitsipas made this declare:
I’ll take a second right here to debate my very own opinion on this level earlier than getting again into this story. Tennis is without doubt one of the most unusual sports activities in that in-game teaching will not be allowed. Whereas teaching in-game is taken into account a traditional a part of many main sports activities, tennis is completely different. It’s very a lot a part of a gamers skillset to have the ability to deal with each doable situation that will come up throughout a recreation with out level to level help. I battle to see how it might be honest for high gamers within the recreation to have entry to the most effective teaching on the planet and be capable of use it anytime they’re going through a tricky state of affairs. It’s a undeniable fact that gamers ranked a lot decrease on the planet who’re attempting to interrupt via and discover success wouldn’t be capable of afford this type of teaching. It will solely widen the disparity within the sport, and take away essentially the most distinctive a part of it: the truth that it’s all in regards to the particular person participant and the way they deal with stress, adversity, endurance and their psychological recreation.
Now again to the story. Right here is the place it will get attention-grabbing. Nick Kyrgios, an Australian tennis participant who’s used to his personal justifiable share of criticism through the years, weighed in on Tsitsipas’ take:
“I often don’t thoughts his concepts, however this one is horrible”.
Straight to the purpose from Nick. Whereas tennis ought to completely proceed to evolve and modernize, in-game teaching, and doing so from level to level is one thing that may solely make tennis take a step again. Think about Djokovic, the most effective participant in tennis, with much more teaching than he has now and utilizing it in moments of adversity. He’s already essentially the most mentally sturdy participant within the recreation, how would anybody cease that? They wouldn’t.
So the place does Tsitsipas go from right here? Properly truly, he’s on his strategy to the Olympic Video games to signify Greece in Tokyo. The largest query I’ve proper now could be if he can overcome the present headspace he’s in. For a 22-year-old, he truly has a reasonably stable psychological recreation, and I’ve full religion that he has what it takes to come back into these Olympic Video games and present that he’s again. He wants a superb exhibiting to regain confidence and get again into his successful type. With each Federer and Nadal opting out of the Olympics, Tsitsipas completely has an opportunity to go deep on this match. His greatest impediment might be Novak Djokovic, who’s the clear favourite to not solely win the Gold Medal, however proceed his chase for the “Golden Slam”. Can Tsitsipas discover redemption and even play spoiler to tennis historical past? We’ll quickly discover out.
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