Stefanos Tsitsipas believes he has proved that he is capable of making great results on clay but noted that he won’t be taking anything lightly when he comes to the French Open. Tsitsipas, 24, is now a two-time Grand Slam finalist and he is enjoying a career-high ranking of No 3 in the world.
Tsitsipas, who ended as runner-up at this year’s Australian Open, was also beaten in his first Grand Slam final at the 2021 French Open. Clay is Tsitsipas’ favorite surface and naturally he will enter the French Open determined to win his first Grand Slam title there.
But what Tsitsipas will try to avoid at Roland Garros is “overconfidence” – the state that according to Tsitsipas “gets you nowhere.”
Tsitsipas: Confidence is very important but being overconfident gets you nowhere
“The biggest mistake you can make as a top player is to think you’ve got it, that you’re always going to go deep in tournaments.
Having that overconfidence that gets you nowhere. Obviously confidence is important to be able to play good tennis, but if there is too much it can hurt you and become dangerous. The most important thing is to stay grounded, keep your head down and keep working, adding things to your arsenal and that’s the key to success this year.
I’m confident as a player, I know what I can achieve, I’ve proven it. Roland Garros remains one of my favorite Grand Slams, Melbourne has a different vibe. RG is my surface, I grew up playing on clay and I love playing there.
I like that it’s like a game of chess. It is not easy, it is not beautiful like on other surfaces. I’m looking forward to the clay season, but also to the US Masters, where I haven’t won many points,” Tsitsipas told SDNA. It remains to be seen if Tsitsipas can make his big Grand Slam breakthrough at this year’s French Open.
