By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Oz offers men major opportunity in the absence of world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Stefanos Tsitsipas asserts adaptability can help him seize a Melbourne major moment.

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Launching this Australian Open amid a cloud of concern over his repaired right elbow, Tsitsipas answered with authority in his opener.

The fourth-seeded Greek delivered all-court ambush dispatching former junior rival Mikael Ymer 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 cruising into the AO second round for the fourth consecutive year.

The Roland Garros runner-up showed his net-rushing skills winning 34 of 48 trips to net (71 percent).

As nine-time AO champion Djokovic watches from home, Tsitsipas sees opportunity for a maiden major title in Melbourne.

Tsitsipas' athleticism, all-court skills and ability to close convincingly at net separates him from the pack of fellow contenders. Forward thinking has helped Tsitsipas reached the AO semifinals in two of the last three years, including his run to the final four last year when he rallied from a two-set deficit to defeat Rafa Nadal. <BR><BR>

"I have a great net game, and some of the players, most of the players don't have the ability to come to the net the way I do and to cover the court and win a lot of points with volleys," Tsitsipas said. "They simply don't have it.

"So I think it's something that is in my advantage, and I have been working my entire lifetime to perfect that."

On a day in which Maxime Cressy won a tournament-high 99 of 128 trips to net in a five-set, four hour, 10-minute upset of compatriot John Isner, we saw how front-court closure plays well in Melbourne Park. The only former men's singles champion in the field, 2009 champion Nadal, is an excellent net player who partnered coach Marc Lopez to the 2016 Olympic doubles gold medal in Rio.

Tsitsipas, who often plays doubles, says if he's landing his stinging first serve and closing net with confidence he can be a title threat.

"I think being on a good serve day and feeling good from the baseline that can be a huge additive to my game and give me big opportunities to do things that others simply wouldn't be able to, because they rely a lot on their baseline game," Tsitsipas said. "Obviously their baseline game is great and rock solid, but they don't have a plan B if they feel like there is something else that I can add to that. They don't have the same net skills, I think, and I believe that I do.

"Perhaps other things they might have better than I, but in this department, I think I'm in favor."




"I would put Daniil Medvedev in there, Alexander Zverev, Rafael Nadal," Tsitsipas said when asked favorites in Djokovic's absence. "He has won a lot of titles on hard court. Casper Ruud start to becoming better on hard court than he was before. And Hubert Hurkacz, I think.

"But for sure myself in there 100 percent."

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