Tsitsipas After Stunning Djokovic: 'It's The Best Comeback I've Ever Had'

Reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas booked his first berth into the Nitto ATP Finals on Friday, and he did so by overcoming one of tennis’ toughest challenges: defeating World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

But it wasn’t just that he beat the Serbian at the Rolex Shanghai Masters to reach the semi-finals. It was how he did it, coming from a set down against a player who had won 15 consecutive sets.

“It's the best comeback that I have ever had, probably,” Tsitsipas said. “I would say also [the] Federer comeback in the Australian Open wasn't easy. I lost the first set against one of the best tennis players in the world and managed to win three consecutive sets after that. Same today, but with less sets, two sets, which was quite difficult for me to pull out. It was a very difficult victory mentally, too. I wasn't really thinking that long term that I have to win two sets. It just went step by step. It happened."

There have been 26 players, including Tsitsipas, who have defeated all members of the ‘Big Three’ — Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Greek entered the match as the youngest player to have accomplished the feat. But now, he is also one of just four players who have faced Djokovic at least three times to own a winning record against the 76-time tour-level champion, joining Fernando Gonzalez (2-1), Ivo Karlovic (2-1) and Andy Roddick (5-4).

“I always dreamt of beating those players, and I see each match when I go out on the court as an opportunity to bring the best out of me. It's a very big boost,” Tsitsipas said. “I honestly feel like they are more threatened than I am, and I think also that kind of relaxed me more out on the court. So I know I just have to play the level, and the difference of the level of the rest of the opponents that I'm playing and competing against isn't that big.

“I know I just have to hang in there and be able to, I think, be more aggressive. Because once you get aggressive and they see that you're really going for it, I might even say they get scared. So that's a good way, approach, to take it.”

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Entering last week’s China Open, Tsitsipas had not earned a Top 10 win since the Mutua Madrid Open in May. Now the Greek has two in as many weeks.

But it did not come easily, with Tsitsipas admitting that he was in awe of some of Djokovic’s mastery during the match.

“He hit some insane shots completely, like unbelievable, which I had no chance of getting back,” Tsitsipas said. “He hit a couple of lines, some good defence, and I was just saying to myself, ‘How is that even possible? It's just incredible to be this close from the lines.’ That's probably the only thing that I was talking to myself about. I think laughing sometimes relaxes me.”

Tsitsipas believes that something that has helped him against the ‘Big Three’ has been reps. Although he is only 21, the three-time ATP Tour champion already has experience competing against the best in the game.

“[I’ve had] plenty of practice sessions with Novak in the past in the place we both reside, in Monte-Carlo. We played plenty of times with each other, and [it has helped] getting that feeling of how he constructs his points, the patterns that he uses,” Tsitsipas said. “Same with Roger, same with Rafa. Rafa, I didn't have the opportunity to practice this much with. So I think that also helps a lot going out on the court, knowing that I have played, hit with him a couple of times and lack of surprise… it's just better in your head.”

Now Tsitsipas will have to overcome another hurdle in World No. 4 Daniil Medvedev, who takes a 4-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head series lead into their semi-final. The Russian is 27-3 since returning to hard courts in July, and he is trying to reach his sixth consecutive final.

“I would say that I'm more relaxed nowadays than ever. I'm just going to have to play well,” Tsitsipas said. “He plays a very different tennis from most of the players that I have been playing against this year. He's a very mental player, I would say. So this win over Novak is a boost. It does help. It makes me feel good about my tennis, about my game. Tomorrow is going to be a new challenge for me.”

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/35kAxbz