"I see a future in which there are six or eight top tennis players who are capable of fighting for Grand Slams" - Stefanos Tsitsipas on tennis after the Big 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas is of the opinion that there will never be another Big 3 after the inevitable retirement of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Instead, he foresees six or eight players playing at the same level and vying for Grand Slams.
Speaking at a press conference before the 2022 Rotterdam Open kicks off on 7 February, the World No. 4 spoke about what the future of tennis could look like. Tsitsipas said he expects tennis to undergo significant "rebranding" once the dominance of the Big 3 reaches its natural end.
"How do I see the future of tennis without Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic? I am not a prophet, so I would not know what to tell you," Tsitsipas said. "To be honest, I see a future in which there are six or eight top tennis players who are capable of fighting for Grand Slams. I see a lot of hype and evolution in the sense of concept and rebranding of our sport."
#Tsitsipas: "How do I see the future of tennis? I didn't know I am a profet (laugh). I see the future of tennis having a top 6 or a top 8. Top eight guys competing for Grand Slams titles. I see a lot of hype and evolutions in sense of concept and rebrand of our sport". https://t.co/DRwHIatPdC
Any such list of top players will certainly include Tsitsipas himself, who has already reached the final of a Grand Slam. But the 23-year-old stated that he had already forgotten the memories of the defeat he suffered at the hands of one of the Big 3, Novak Djokovic, at the 2021 Roland Garros final.
#Tsitsipas: "I completely forgotten about my Roland Garros final. Is a good achievement but I don't want to be the guy that holds a runner-up trophy. I wanna be more than that". https://t.co/KZ3ZYln60R
Instead, the World No. 4 gave a glimpse into his champion mentality by proclaiming that he did not want to be someone who feels satisfied with a mere runner-up trophy. While he acknowledged the achievement, the 23-year-old noted that his ambitions were far loftier and that he wanted to focus on improving every day.
"I have already completely forgotten [the 2021 Roland Garros final against Djokovic]. I have realized that reaching a Grand Slam final is a great achievement, but I don't want to be the guy who holds a runner-up trophy," the World No. 4 said. "I want to be much more than that. I work and train every day to improve and feel better as a tennis player."
"I don't want to be a player who is only good on one surface" - Stefanos Tsitsipas
The Greek also asserted that he is a versatile enough player who can produce results consistently throughout the season. He added that that there was room for improvement on grass, but with the grasscourt season barely a month long, he did not see it as an immediate cause for concern.
"I think I am a player who adapts wonderfully to all surfaces. I don't want to be a player who is only good on one surface. I have achieved good results on clay, hard court and indoors. It is true that I need to improve a bit more on grass, but it is a surface with very few weeks of competition," the World No. 4 said. "I feel like I am able to play equally well on all surfaces and I can produce points on all surfaces throughout the season.
#Tsitsipas: "I think I'm able to play on all surfaces. I don't want the one that can play good only on one surface. I'm capable of playing equally well on all of them and produce points on all surfaces ATP offers during the season". https://t.co/PcKa8Om4ee
Turning to the matter at hand, Stefanos Tsitsipas hailed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, his first-round opponent in Rotterdam, as a tricky player to face -- especially in indoor conditions.
The World No. 4 has won their previous encounter at the 2021 Monte Carlo Masters where Fokina retired after losing the first set 7-5. Tsitsipas remarked in the press conference that the Spaniard possessed a lot of potential.
"Davidovich Fokina is a player who performs very well under this surface," the Greek said. "I know very well his potential is plenty. I already played against him in Monte Carlo last year and I know what he's capable of."
#Tsitsipas: "Few days of practice will help me to adjust my tennis to indoor conditions. Davidovich Fokina has done good results, has not reach his full potential, but is a strong opponent as I know from our match in Montecarlo". https://t.co/7r5B3ap8cT
Also Check Out: Rotterdam Open 2022 Schedule