Tsitsipas explains what makes Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic who they are

2019 will always remain a year to remember for Stefanos Tsitsipas. Entering the top 10 for the first time last March, the current World number 6 has achieved amazing results in the last twelve months, among which the triumph at the ATP Finals in London and the final reached at the Masters 1000 in Madrid stand out. The Greek also proved capable of beating the three sacred monsters, however in exceptional contexts: the two successes over Roger Federer in the round of 16 of the Australian Open and in the semifinal of the ATP Finals, the victory over Rafael Nadal in the semifinal of Madrid and the victory damage by Novak Djokovic in Shanghai have certified the entry of Stefanos into the Olympus of world tennis.

Tsitsipas on the Big 3

"Looking back at that, it was too big of a statement to be taken seriously. I shouldn't have been looking so far so soon," Stefanos Tsitsipas said to Tennismajors.com, emphasizing that he now believes in taking things step-by-step. The Greek also let the fans in on what makes the Big 3 special at the Grand Slams. "Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are doing a great job being where they are, so committed. For sure they are very difficult to beat," Tsitsipas explained. "They play better tennis than what they played five or six years ago. They are much more experienced than us, though physically they are not the same because of their age. We're (Next-Gen) still young for tennis standards. There is a different procedure that goes into a Grand Slam. It has to be taken very responsibly. You have to be consistent mentally and physically. You have to, in a way, renovate things at Grand Slam. You have to take care of all your weapons and strengths and use them gradually, without overdoing things from earlier rounds. That's something the Big 3 have figured out and they have been very consistent with that throughout their career. That's what makes them who they are," he concluded. Former British No. 1 players Greg Rusedski and Annabel Croft have both praised Tsitsipas's on-court demeanor in conjunction with his style of play. Rusedski in particular has said that "[Tsitsipas] reminds me a little bit of Björn Borg. He does all the right things, he is spectacular as a tennis player and was just sensational with the way he was so calm and composed and he didn't blink when it came to the crunch. He has the competitive nature of Andy Murray, but he also has a calmness which reminds me of Roger Federer."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2BpUDqo