"I want Stefanos Tsitsipas to be better on his bad days" - Andy Roddick
Stefanos Tsitsipas is undoubtedly one of the best young players on the ATP tour right now. But former World No. 1 Andy Roddick believes that in order to take the next step in his evolution, Tsitsipas needs to figure out how to play better on days when he's not 100%.
Like many talented players, Stefanos Tsitsipas' game is a pure delight when he's on song. However, it can be just as painful to watch when he's not playing his best.
After reaching the Australian Open semifinals in 2019 and winning the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals the same year, Tsitipas was tipped by many to make a Slam breakthrough in 2020. But the 22-year-old was beaten in the third round of the Australian Open and the US Open, at the latter of which he lost to Borna Coric despite holding six match points in the fourth set.
Tsitsipas did mange to salvage his season by reaching his second Grand Slam semifinal at the French Open, where he put up a spirited display against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Roddick, while speaking with Tennis Channel, noted the wild ups and downs in Tsitsipas' level over the course of a season and pointed out how the Greek doesn't do enough when his rhythm is off.
"At his highest level is not in question right. When he’s playing great and he’s flying high, the shot-making ability is there," Roddick said. "I want Stefanos Tsitsipas to be better on his bad days."
The American feels that once Tsitsipas is able to win more matches when he's not playing his best, he will climb further and eventually reach the top.
"I think that’s the only thing separating him from the top of the game right now is in the third realm – when he’s not quite feeling it, he doesn’t have everything," Roddick went on. "Getting through that match is important for him, and he needs to kind of maybe learn how to do that a little bit better."
Stefanos Tsitsipas will kick off his 2021 season at the ATP Cup
Ranked No. 6 in the world, Stefanos Tsitsipas will kick off his 2021 campaign at the ATP Cup in Melbourne. Representing Greece, Tsitsipas will be joined by Michail Pervolarakis, Markos Kalovelonis and his brother Petros Tsitsipas in the team event.
Greece finished in fourth place at the 2020 ATP Cup, going 0-3 in their group matches.
After that Tsitsipas will head to the Australian Open, which begins on 8 February, where he will be hoping to go one better than his 2019 semifinal appearance.