Tsitsipas stands up in press conference after being eliminated: "Karma hit me"

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Stefanos Tsitsipas bid goodbye at the 2025 Australian Open earlier than expected based on his ranking. Defeated in four sets by a strong Alex Michelsen, the world number 11 faced the press minutes later to address what had happened in the first Grand Slam of the season, also explaining what has changed in terms of tennis from a few years ago to the present.

"It was a tough match in the first round. I knew I was up against a very serious opponent, as I've played against him before and lost. I knew that things don't change suddenly. He beat me for a reason in our previous encounter. I knew I had to be at my best to try to win this match. I had a very slow start. In terms of finding my movements and dominating from the serve plus one, it didn't really work as I expected. That caused some frustration and insecurity in how I approached my game."

"Those are crucial shots in tennis, and if you can't execute them with maximum intensity, it's very challenging. I also felt that today I didn't have enough power in my shots, so I ended up playing more and having to make two or three times as much effort on each point to try to win it. I hope to recover from that and use it as a strength in my game."

Comparison with his 2020 version

"I had more mental freshness back then; it seemed like I had more hunger than now. One of the things that stood out then is that I had the hunger to try to make tennis my life and to have a good start in my tennis career and journey. It's different from what it is now. I have pretty much settled in the last two years, and I have seen the game, I have seen all the variations of tennis around the circuit. I have experienced what it's like to be on the ATP circuit. I feel like there was a different energy back then, a different dynamic."

"I would say I am a better player now than then. Even though I may be losing now and not at my best, I believe I am a much better player than I was then when I felt my shots weren't as powerful in terms of topspin. I played much flatter and more through the court than now. I think that wouldn't work as well now as it did then."

How does he plan to regain confidence in his tennis?

"I have no idea. I haven't discussed it with my team, so I don't know what my plans are. The most frustrating part of losing in the first round of a Grand Slam is that you have too much time to recover, and I would prefer it to be the other way around, not having enough time to recover. Frankly, that is much better in terms of problem-solving."

"What bothers me is that I'll be around here, wandering, for quite a while before my next tournament arrives. With my competitive nature, I feel like these things are not really ideal for me. I will try to play the Davis Cup. That's my next tennis event. I hope things go well there. Next up is the Middle East on the calendar, and that will be in several weeks. So, I have plenty of time."

About his withdrawal from the doubles draw

"Well, it's quite ironic. My goal was to go far in the singles draw. I knew the first thing I had to consider was not playing doubles. I guess karma hit me. I wasn't able to perform or play as I expected in the first tournament of this year. The goal was to conserve energy and be fresher for the final stages of the tournament."

A different style of tennis

"When I arrived in 2018, the game was very different from what it is now. It wasn't as physical. I had victories over Novak, and I felt I played well, and I didn't have to reach the most extreme version of myself in that particular match. I remember it fondly and intensely. The game has become more physical. I think the margins have narrowed, which means you don't get as many free points. Innovation has taken a step forward and has allowed players to hit even harder than before."

"I definitely emphasize that. When I played years ago, I felt that, overall, the game was less powerful. It was still physical, but not as much as now. I think power has prevailed, which means now everyone can hit hard. You just have to be precise as well, combine those two things, and you have the ultimate player."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tsitsipas da la cara en rueda de prensa tras caer eliminado: "El karma me golpeó"