By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, November 12, 2023
Home hero Jannik Sinner gave Stefanos Tsitsipas no entry into his service games in a 6-4, 6-4 ATP Finals sweep today.
Residing in a tough Green Group of the round-robin event, Tsitsipas aims to ratchet up the risk factor to extent his Turin stay.
Australian Open finalist Tsitsipas failed to earn a single break point in today’s 75-minute loss. Tsitsipas, who won just four of 36 points played on Sinner’s first serve, said he’s trying to drive returns deeper in the court rather than chip them back with his one-handed backhand and apply his forward attack to close more at net.
“Just press more, put more returns deep into the court,” Tsitsipas told the media in Turin. “Just get started with my shot-making from the baseline. Whenever I get a short one, just come in.
“I think not a lot of players approach it this way, but I think it kind of suits me when I play this way. I guess in the past I’ve tried to stay behind the baseline and rally, not punish my opponents when they throw in a shorter one.
“I see this tournament for me also an opportunity for me to grow my game through maybe bigger risks. Why not? It’s a great tournament and I really want to do well here.”
The 2019 ATP Finals champion is one of four former champions—world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev are the others—in the eight-man field. Tsitsipas has two more round-robin matches remaining, one vs. Djokovic and the other against Holger Rune, as he continues his hunt for a semifinal berth.
Tsitsipas suggests his ability to close moving forward will determine how deep he goes in the Turin draw.
“Sometimes it takes adjustment because you get started with these events in the beginning, the first few tournaments, you’re not confident because you haven’t played in those conditions,” Tsitsipas said. “These are your first few weeks. It takes a little bit of time for you to step in, get on the comfort zone of being able to cut time from the opponent. For sure it takes a few repetitions for your mind to pick it up and to be much more confident than you are starting in that indoor season.
“Every single opportunity that I get to play a match, I think that confidence grows and it becomes better. I’m able to get an understanding of my game much more clear and with much more clarity.
“It’s a very aggressive and sometimes risky game. But I…
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