By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday May 27, 2024
Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of the names that keeps popping up when people discuss the players that have a chance to steal away with the Roland-Garros men’s singles title this year. No, he’s not a favorite, and the Greek even said so himself on Monday after he took out Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, 7-6, 6-4, 6-1.
More importantly, Tsitsipas isn’t satisfied.
“Of course I wouldn't lie that I haven't been entirely satisfied and happy with the way my results have shown in the last few years,” he told reporters, adding that he feels there remains a lot more for him to achieve.
“I feel like there is a gap and I could close that gap even more,” he said. “There are two ways that I look at it. One is like I'm a late bloomer and I still need time to grow into this great player that I haven't been able to really show.”
25-year-old Tsitsipas has 11 ATP titles and two Grand Slam finals to his name, in addition to three Masters 1000 titles and his biggest career title, which came at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2019.
He says it’s great, but not enough.
“I have had the chance and privilege to win the Nitto Finals,” he said. “It is still my biggest moment in tennis. But I still feel like there's more to it than just that. I've won three times in Monte-Carlo. It's a great feeling to be crowned the Masters 1000 champion, but I still do feel like there is much more to achieve and accomplish in the sport, and it doesn't stop there.”
The No.9-seeded Greek is in Carlos Alcaraz’s quarter of the draw, and could face Andrey Rublev in the round of 16 if the seeds hold. In his next match he will face tricky German Daniel Altmaier.
In a year where the men’s singles draw is more wide open than ever in Paris, he says he’s waiting for an opportunity to pounce on.
“I just wait for my opportunities,” he said. “I hope they show up, and I hope -- there is obviously a lot of hope, and I keep saying "hope, hope," but I'm targeting those big matches that will show up at some point during hopefully this week or next week or the next few months.
“I am mentally preparing for those battles, and I know that these matches are the kind of matches that I will have to get through and perhaps write history if I am able to overtake them and win them and capture those moments in a positive way.”
Still Sees Djokovic As the Favorite
Tsitsipas, like Casper Ruud, believes that top-seeded Novak Djokovic is the favorite, despite his subpar season to date. Here’s how he explains his rationale.
“I would say probably it's Novak Djokovic is still the favorite, because he has won here [three] times,” he said. “Despite maybe not the best results from his side in the last few weeks in terms of we were used to Djokovic winning almost every week – and it hasn't happened in the last few weeks – I still consider him the favorite.”