Stefanos Tsitsipas has his sights sets on a big goal in 2021. Maybe the biggest and toughest task in tennis: defeating Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros.
In an interview with Reem Abulleil at Rolandgarros.com the Greek revealed his desire to climb to the top of the tennis mountain in Paris.
He was asked what some of his biggest goals were in 2021:
< “A really good goal would be to maybe beat Rafa, on clay or at Roland-Garros,” said Tsitsipas. “That would be a really nice goal. I think everyone would love that, especially me. I’ve played him a lot of times. I have a negative record against him, but every single time I go out I just really want to beat him, I always want to give my best against him.”
Tsitsipas, who is 1-6 lifetime against the King of Clay, actually owns a win over Nadal on clay in Madrid. He has never faced the Spaniard at his favorite stomping grounds in Paris, where he is 100-2 lifetime with a whopping 13 titles to his name.
“He’s such a difficult player to play against,” Tsitsipas said. “Very difficult, very consistent. Incredible fighting spirit - I consider myself a fighter but he’s completely at next-level, incomparable.”
Tsitsipas delved further, naming what he finds most remarkable about his game.
“They don’t call Rafa the most difficult player to beat accidentally, there is something behind it,” Tsitsipas added. “For me personally, he has a very heavy ball and he is just anticipating very well, very good movement on the court as well. He spins, his agility on the court is very impressive and the way he fights, he’s just never going to give up, that makes him very very difficult.”